ADAMS’ 

OFFICIAL  PREMIUM  LIST 

; of 

UNITED  STATES 

PRIVATE  AND  TERRITORIAL 


GOLD  COINS 


Gfecffee 

' •'■■■  ■■  V fr..v  ■ , X-, 


Milford  Coin  & Stamp  Co. 
487  State  St. 

New  Haven  10,  Conn. 


■V* 


ADAMS’ 

OFFICIAL  PREMIUM  LIST 


OF 

UNITED  STATES 

PRIVATE  AN1)  TERRITORIAL 

GOLD  COINS 

INDICATED  BY  PRICES  BROUGHT  AT  PUBLIC 
COIN  SALES 


$ 

EDGAR  H.  ADAMS 


Member  of 

American  Numismatic  Association,  American  Numismatic  Society, 
New  York  Numismatic  Club,  Chicago  Numismatic  Society, 
British  Numismatic  Society 


THE  WILLETT  PRESS 
5 West  20th  Street 
New  York 
a 


Copyrighted,  1909 

BY 

Edgar  Holmes  Adams 


Information  of  any  kind  pertaining  to  United  States  coins 
will  be  promptly  furnished  all  purchasers 
of  this  book  by  addressing 

EDGAR  H.  ADAMS,  40  Fourth  Ave.,  Brooklyn,  N.  Y. 


Illustrated  by 
Walter  E.  Blythe 
New  York 


Index 


rr'' 

if*  ijJ 


i-" 

United  States  Gold  Coins.  Page. 

Dollar  12 

Two  and  a Half  Dollars 16 

Three  Dollars 21 

Five  Dollars 24 

Ten  Dollars 30 

Twenty  Dollars 32 

Private  Gold  Coins. 

New  York — 

Brasher  Doubloon 11 

Georgia — 

Templeton  Reid 35 

North  Carolina — 

Christopher  Bechtler 37 

August  Bechtler - 40 

Oregon — 

Oregon  Exchange  Company 42 

Utah — 

Salt  Lake  City  Mint 61 

California — 

Moffat  & Co 44 

Augustus  Humbert 46 

United  States  Assay  Office  of  Gold 48 

Baldwin  & Co 49 

Dubosq  & Co 50 

Cincinnati  Mining  & Trading  Company 51 

Dunbar  & Co 52 

J.  S.  Ormsby  & Co 52 

Kellogg  & Co 53 

State  Assay  Office  of  California 54 

Massachusetts  & California  Company 55 

Miner’s  Bank 56 

Norris,  Grieg  & Norris 56 

Pacific  Company 57 

Schultz  & Co 57 

Templeton  Reid 58 

Wass,  Molitor  & Co 60 


6 ADAMS’  OFFICIAL  PREMIUM  LIST 

Colorado — 

Clark  & Co 64 

Clark,  Gruber  & Co 64 

John  Parsons  & Co 67 

J.  J.  Conway  & Co 68 

United  States  Gold  Pattern  Coins. 

1836  Gold  Dollar 70 

1849  Gold  Dollar 70 

1852  Gold  Dollar.. 70 

1852  Gold  Half  Dollar 70 

1861  Twenty  Dollars 70 

1873  Five  Dollars 70 

1876  Twenty  Dollars 70 

1877  Fifty  Dollars 71 

1879  Four  Dollars 72 

1879  Twenty  Dollars 72 

1880  Four  Dollars 72 


Introduction 

Many  very  rare  gold  coins  are  circulating  throughout  the  United 
States,  unappreciated  and  passing  for  only  their  face  value,  that 
would  be  highly  prized  by  collectors.  These  coins  embrace  many  of 
the  issues  of  the  United  States  prior  to  1860,  with  their  various  mint 
letters,  and  also  include  quite  a number  of  coins  issued  since  1860. 

With  the  regular  United  States  coins  there  is  no  reason  why  a 
careful  watch  of  all  the  gold  coins  in  circulation  should  not  result 
in  the  uncovering  of  some  of  the  great  rarities  that  now  command 
the  highest  premiums.  Of  the  high-priced  gold  coins,  such  as  the 
half  eagles,  or  five-dollar  gold  pieces,  of  1815  and  1822,  it  is  not 
unlikely  that  there  are  still  somewhere  to  be  found  specimens  in 
addition  to  the  dozen  or  so  now  known  which  have  brought  such 
tremendous  premiums.  Of  the  former  date  the  mint  records  show 
that  635  were  made,  while  of  those  dated  1822  the  records  state 
lhat  17,796  were  minted. 

Every  trifling  variation  in  the  design  of  a coin,  such  as  a date 
or  mint  letter,  gives  it  a particular  interest  in  the  estimation  of 
collectors.  A collector  who  devotes  his  attention  to  the  accumu- 
lation of  the  gold  pieces  is  not  satisfied  that  he  has  a complete 
representation  of  every  coin  issued  under  United  States  authority 
unless  his  cabinet  contains  specimens  of  each  denomination,  of  each 
year,  and  bearing  the  mint  letter  of  every  one  of  the  mints. 

Often  the  coins  of  a certain  year  that  were  issued  at  the  Phila- 
delphia mint  are  of  the  commonest  character,  and  command  but  a 
small  premium.  On  the  other  hand,  during  the  same  year  but  a 
limited  number  of  coins  of  the  identical  design,  with  the  single 
variation  of  the  mint  letter,  may  have  been  issued  at  one  of  the 
branch  mints,  making  each  coin  of  this  stamp  worth  dozens  of  times 
its  face  value. 

An  example  of  this  is  shown  in  the  case  of  the  gold  dollar  of 
1854.  The  Philadelphia  issue  is  worth  but  little  in  excess  of  face 
value,  while  the  one  of  the  same  design  and  date,  but  showing  in 
addition  the  tiny  letter  “C”  for  the  branch  mint  located  at  Char- 
lotte, N.  C.,  would  be  worth  several  hundred  dollars.  This  is  also 
true  of  the  gold  dollar  dated  1861.  The  one  bearing  the  latter  date, 
struck  at  Philadelphia,  has  brought  $5.25,  while  the  same  design,  but 
with  the  letter  “D,”  for  the  Dahlonega,  Ga.,  mint,  has  sold  for  $280. 
Scores  of  others  of  all  denominations  will  be  observed  by  studying 
this  list. 

The  $2.50  and  $5  gold  pieces  struck  after  1860  are  not  scarce, 
with  but  few  exceptions,  and  are  usually  sold  in  full  proof  sets, 
which  embrace  all  the  gold  denominations  of  the  year. 


8 


ADAMS’  OFFICIAL  PREMIUM  LIST 


Ten  and  twenty  dollar  pieces  do  not  bring  much  of  a premium,  as 
they  are  sought  by  only  a few  collectors.  The  collectors  as  a rule 
value  only  those  ten-dollar  gold  pieces  which  were  issued  from  1795 
to  1804,  and  all  such  coins  are  here  scheduled. 

The  following  premium  list  represents  the  prices  brought  by  the 
various  coins  whenever  offered  for  sale,  and  no  attempt  is  made 
to  estimate  the  value  of  such  coins  which  have  not  been  publicly 
offered,  even  though  there  are  available  perfectly  authentic  records 
of  private  sales. 

There  is  probably  no  better  way  of  judging  a coin’s  value  than 
by  consulting  the  prices  brought  at  auction.  Of  course,  these  are  not 
infallible,  for  peculiar  reasons  may  cause  a coin  to  be  bid  up  to  a 
figure  far  beyond  its  real  worth.  But  this  occurs  only  in  isolated 
instances.  Taken  altogether,  the  public  offering  of  a coin  is  nearly 
always  pretty  certain  to  result  in  the  piece  being  sold  at  its  real 
value.  Therefore,  the  compiler  of  this  work  feels  that  the  majority 
of  the  figures  stated  would  be  fully  realized,  if  not  exceeded,  were  a 
coin  of  similar  nature  offered  at  the  present  time.  In  a few  cases 
certain  coins  have  not  been  offered  for  sale  in  recent  years — perhaps 
there  is  only  one  record  of  sale  available.  In  such  a case  the  auction 
price  is  no  criterion  of  the  coin’s  real  value.  Instances  of  this  are 
shown  in  the  ridiculously  low  prices  brought  by  the  five-dollar  gold 
coins  issued  in  California  by  Dubosq  & Co.  and  Dunbar  & Co.  The 
only  record  of  the  sales  of  these  extremely  rare  coins  shows  that 
they  respectively  brought  $6.40  and  $6.50  in  1884  and  1890.  While 
these  pieces  thus  brought  only  a trifle  more  than  face  value  when 
last  offered  for  sale,  still  they  are  now  worth  many  times  as  much — 
how  much  could  be  determined  only  by  a public  sale. 

The  fact  must  be  borne  in  mind  that  these  auction  prices  are 
subject  to  the  deduction  of  the  coin  auctioneer’s  commission,  which 
ranges  from  15  to  25  per  cent.,  according  to  the  number  and  value 
of  the  coins  to  be  sold. 

The  mint  letters  have  very  much  to  do  with  the  value  of  the 
United  States  gold  coins.  These  are  to  be  found  usually  on  the 
reverse  of  the  coin. 

The  Philadelphia  mint  issues  bear  no  mint  letter,  and  by  this 
omission  can  be  distinguished  from  all  the  others. 

The  letter  “S”  indicates  the  mint  located  at  San  Francisco. 

“C  C”  indicates  the  mint  located  at  Carson  City,  Nev. 

“O,”  New  Orleans,  La. 

“C,”  Charlotte,  N.  C. 

“D,”  Dahlonega,  Ga.  Discontinued  in  1861. 

“D”  indicates  the  Denver  mint  on  coins  dated  1906  and  afterward. 


U.  S.,  PRIVATE,  TERRITORIAL  GOLD  COINS 


0 


As  condition,  or  state  of  preservation,  has  so  much  bearing  upon 
the  value  of  a rare  coin,  that  condition  is  herein  mentioned  wherever 
possible.  Effort  also  has  been  made  to  show  the  prices  realized 
by  the  same  coins  in  varying  conditions  of  preservation,  ranging 
from  the  state  known  as  “poor”  to  the  “proof”  specimen. 

“Proof”  coins,  it  may  be  explained,  are  those  which  have  been 
struck  from  planchets,  or  blank  disks  of  metal  that  have  been  highly 
burnished,  in  contrast  to  the  ordinary  surface  of  the  newly  struck 
coins  intended  for  general  circulation. 

“Uncirculated”  is  the  term  applied  to  the  next  state  of  preserva- 
tion. An  uncirculated  piece  is  one  that  shows  absolutely  no  signs 
of  wear,  the  design  standing  out  in  perfectly  sharp  relief.  A coin 
may  be  termed  “uncirculated,”  and  yet  have  lost  its  mint  lustre, 
although  the  latter  condition  always  enhances  the  value  of  a coin. 

“Extremely  fine”  condition  in  a coin  is  that  where  but  the  slightest 
traces  of  wear  from  circulation  are  perceptible,  almost  verging  upon 
the  “uncirculated”  class. 

“Fine”  coins  are  those  clearly  showing  every  detail  of  design,  but 
with  a fair  amount  of  wear.  The  edges  may  be  somewhat  worn, 
or  the  high  relief  somewhat  reduced,  and  yet  retaining  every  detail 

of  design. 

“Good”  specimens  show  portions  of  the  design,  inscriptions,  and 
date  slightly  worn  away.  Only  half  of  some  of  the  letters  may  be 
seen,  but  enough  to  indicate  the  original  letters. 

“Poor”  coins  show  hard  usage  from  circulation  or  from  other 
causes.  An  entire  inscription  or  date  may  be  missing,  and  the 
surface  become  smooth  in  parts  from  much  handling.  Such  a coin 
is  worth  very  little  to  the  collector,  even  when  it  represents  a great 
rarity,  although  there  have  been  instances  where  substantial  pre- 
miums have  been  paid  for  poor  specimens  of  extremely  rare  coins. 

This  list  is  prepared  in  as  compact  form  as  possible.  First  is 
given  the  date  of  the  coin,  with  the  mint  letter,  if  any.  Second, 
the  condition  is  stated.  Third,  the  name  of  the  person  holding  the 
sale,  or  the  owner  of  the  collection.  Next,  the  year  of  sale,  and, 
last,  the  amount  brought. 

Every  effort  has  been  made  to  reproduce  the  various  coins  in  the 
smallest  detail  and  to  give  the  actual  size.  However,  there  may  be 
isolated  instances  where  the  reproduction  is  either  larger  or  smaller 
than  the  original  coin,  owing  to  engraving  difficulties. 

This  book  should  be  particularly  useful  for  reference  to  all  gold 
coin  collectors  and  those  interested  in  gold  coins.  It  contains  much 
new  information  in  regard  to  the  private  gold  coinage,  which  is  here 
presented  for  the  first  time  to  the  general  public  in  compact  form. 


10 


ADAMS’  OFFICIAL  PREMIUM  LIST 


Quite  a number  of  the  illustrations  of  rare  coins  are  herein  repro- 
duced for  the  first  time.  Among  these  are  the  $3.50,  $5  and  $10 
pieces  of  Conway  & Co.,  of  Colorado;  the  $5  and  two  varieties  of 
ten-dollar  pieces  of  Templeton  Reid,  of  Georgia,  the  “75G.  20C.”  $2.50 
piece  of  Christopher  Bechtler,  of  North  Carolina,  and  the  $2.50  and 
$5  pieces  of  Parsons  & Co.,  of  Colorado. 

The  prices  have  been  taken  from  the  Chapman,  Elder,  Proskey, 
Low,  Bushnell,  Davis,  Mills,  J.  B.  and  D.  S.  Wilson,  Stickney, 
Zabriskie,  Jewett,  and  other  great  sales. 


U.  S.,  PRIVATE,  TERRITORIAL  GOLD  COINS 


11 


NEW  YORK  BRASHER  DOUBLOON 

The  Brasher  doubloon  is  not  usually  listed  among  the  private 
gold  coins,  although  it  undoubtedly  was  struck  by  a private  person, 
having  been  made  by  Ephraim  Brasher,  a New  York  jeweler,  in 
1787.  It  has  about  the  same  intrinsic  value  as  the  Spanish  doubloon 
— sixteen  dollars — from  which  fact  it  derived  its  title.  It  is  one  of 
the  highest  priced  coins  in  the  world.  In  1907  a specimen  sold  for 
$6,200.  There  are  two  minor  varieties — one  with  Brasher’s  stamp, 
“E  B,”  on  the  breast  of  the  eagle,  and  the  other  with  the  stamp  on 
the  right  wing.  There  was  another  Brasher,  a brother  of  Ephraim, 
who  conducted  a goldsmithing  business  in  Boston  in  Colonial  days. 
It  was  the  custom  of  the  brothers  to  place  their  private  stamp  upon 
certain  gold  coins,  the  stamp  of  the  Bostonian  being  “I  B.”  Even  at 
the  present  day  specimens  of  the  gold  Portuguese  “Joe”  and  “Half 
Joe,”  bearing  the  stamp  of  “E  B”  and  “I  B,”  are  occasionally  ottered 
for  sale.  The  New  York  doubloon  is  regarded  by  many  as  a pattern 
for  a New  York  cent.  Ephraim  Brasher  had  a jewelry  store  on 
Cherry  Street,  New  York  City,  in  1787.  In  that  year  he,  with  several 
others,  appealed  to  the  New  York  Legislature  for  permission  to 
strike  copper  coins  that  would  circulate  in  New  York  State,  and  it 
is  thought  he  cut  the  dies  of  the  so-called  “doubloon”  with  which  to 
make  samples  of  his  proposed  coinage.  About  a half-dozen  speci- 
mens are  known  in  gold.  The  petition  of  Brasher  was  not  granted, 
and  the  doubloons  are  the  only  records  extant  to  show  that  such  a 
coinage  was  contemplated. 


(“E  B”  on  right  wing.) 


Very  fine,  Davis  sale,  1890 $ 450 

Uncirculated,  Stickney,  1907 6,200 

Very  fine,  Zabriskie,  1909 3,650 

(“E  B”  on  breast.) 

Very  fine,  Bushnell,  1882 505 


12 


ADAMS’  OFFICIAL  PREMIUM  LIST 


ONE  DOLLAR 

The  one-dollar  gold  piece  was  authorized  by  act  of  March  3,  1849, 
the  coins  to  have  a weight  of  25.8  grains  and  a fineness  of  900-1000. 
The  gold  dollar  was  issued  continuously  from  1849  to  1889,  inclusive, 
in  which  year  it  was  discontinued.  During  this  period  nearly  twenty 
million  of  these  little  pieces  were  coined.  The  issue  of  the  gold 
dollar  was  considered  as  early  as  1836,  when  a Congressional  com- 
mittee had  under  advisement  a bill  which  provided  for  the  issue  of 
one,  two,  three,  and  four  dollar  gold  pieces.  The  only  immediate 
outcome  of  this  bill  was  the  production  at  the  United  States  Mint  of 
a pattern  gold  dollar  of  handsome  design,  showing  on  one  side  a 
radiated  Liberty  cap.  Still  another  pattern  gold  dollar  was  issued 
in  1849,  of  engraved  design,  with  a square  perforation  in  the  centre. 
This  design  was  not  adopted,  but  instead  was  issued  the  regular  gold 
dollar  bearing  the  head  of  Liberty,  as  illustrated  below.  This  first 
gold  dollar  was  found  to  be  too  small  for  practicable  purposes,  and 
so  in  1854  an  enlarged  coin  was  produced,  the  chief  design  of  which 
was  the  head  of  an  Indian  Princess.  This  second  variety  contained  a 
greater  amount  of  alloy  than  the  first,  but  the  intrinsic  value  re- 
mained the  same  as  that  of  the  original  issue.  The  design  of  both 
the  1849  and  1854  gold  dollars  was  the  work  of  James  B.  Longacre, 
for  years  the  chief  engraver  at  the  mint. 


1849.  Uncirculated,  Smith,  1906 $ 2.25 

1849d.  Extremely  fine,  Smith,  1906 4.25 

1845d.  Extremely  fine,  Kuntz,  1908 6.10 

1849c.  Fine,  Gschwend,  1908 2.75 

1849c.  Extremely  fine,  Smith,  1906 4.25 

1849o.  Very  fine.  Smith,  1906 2.50 

1849o.  Very  fine,  Kuntz,  1908 2.65 

1850.  Extremely  fine,  Smith,  1906 2.25 

1650.  Very  fine,  Elder,  1908 2.85 

1850c.  Very  fine,  Smith,  1906 2.75 

1850d.  Extremely  fine.  Smith,  1906 6.50 

1850o.  Very  fine,  Smith,  1906 2.75 

1851.  Uncirculated,  Smith,  1906 2.10 

1851.  Uncirculated,  Gschwend,  1908 2.80 


U.  S.,  PRIVATE,  TERRITORIAL  GOLD  COINS 


13 


1851c.  Uncirculated,  Smith,  1906 $ 3.75 

1851c.  Very  fine,  Kuntz,  1908 2.30 

1851d.  Extremely  fine,  Smith,  1906 4.25 

1851d.  Uncirculated,  Gschwend,  1908 2.40 

1651o.  Uncirculated,  Smith,  1908 2.25 

1851o.  Very  fine,  Eider,  1908 2.30 

1852.  Uncirculated,  Smith,  1906 2.25 

1852.  Uncirculated,  Elder,  1908 2.10 

1852c.  Extremely  fine,  Smith,  1906 3.00 

1852d.  Extremely  fine,  Smith,  1906 11.00 

1852o.  Fine,  Smith,  1906 3.50 

1853.  Uncirculated,  Smith,  1906 2.10 

1853.  Fine,  Kuntz,  1908 2.20 

1853c.  Very  fine,  Smith,  1906 3.00 

1853d.  Extremely  fine,  Smith,  1906 5.00 

1853o.  Extremely  fine,  Smith,  1906 2.25 

1854.  (Liberty  head),  Smith,  1906 2.20 

1854.  (Indian  head),  Kuntz,  1908 2.25 


1854c.  (According  to  the  mint  records,  four  specimens  of 
the  gold  dollar  were  made  at  the  Charlotte  mint  in 
1854,  but  not  a single  one  of  them  has  ever  been 
located.  Such  a coin  would  now  be  held  at  a very 


high  premium.) 

1854d.  Very  fine,  Smith,  1906 21.00 

1854s.  Extremely  fine.  Smith,  1906 15.00 

1855.  Uncirculated,  Smith,  1906 3.00 

1855.  Uncirculated,  Elder,  1908 2.35 

1855c.  Fine,  Smith,  1906 4.00 

1855d.  Fine,  Elder,  190T 53.00 

1855o.  Very  fine,  Smith,  1906 2.25 

1856.  (Slanting  “5”),  Uncirculated,  Smith 2.75 


1856.  (Straight  “5”),  Uncirculated,  Stickney,  1907 3.50 

1856d.  (Straight  “5”),  very  fine,  Eavenson,  1903 65.00 

1856s.  Fine,  Eavenson,  1903 3.00 

1857.  Uncirculated,  Eavenson,  1903 2.50 

1857.  Keel- Johnson,  1908 2.10 

1857c.  Fine,  Eavenson,  1903 4.00 

1857d.  Very  good,  Smith,  1906 4.75 


14 


ADAMS’  OFFICIAL  PREMIUM  LIST 


1857d.  Very  fine,  Gschwend,  1908 $ 3.00 

1857s.  Fine,  Smith,  190G 3.50 

1858.  Brilliant  proof,  Smith,  1900 5.75 

1858d.  Very  fine.  Smith,  1906 6.50 

1858s.  Very  good,  Smith,  1906 5.75 

1859.  Uncirculated,  Smith,  1906 2.50 

1859.  Brilliant  proof,  Elder,  1908 8.00 

1859.  Uncirculated,  Smith,  1906 2.50 

1859c.  Fine,  Smith,  1906 3.75 

1859d.  Very  fine,  Smith,  1906 7.50 

1859s.  Fine,  Smith,  1906 4.00 

1860.  Proof,  Elder,  1908 4.30 

1860.  Brilliant  proof,  Mehl,  1909 11.50 

1860d.  Fine,  Smith,  1906 38.00 

1860d.  Fine,  Treat,  1905 40.00 

1860d.  Fine,  Elder,  1909 47.50 

1860d.  Fine,  Zabriskie,  1909 82.50 

1860s.  Very  fine,  Smith,  1906 7.50 

1861.  Brilliant  proof,  Smith,  1906 5.25 

1861.  Fine,  Elder,  1908 2.30 

1861d.  Extremely  fine,  Wilson,  1907 280.00 

186 Id.  Fine,  Elder,  1909 230.00 

1862.  Brilliant  proof,  Smith,  1906 5.75 

1862.  About  fine,  Elder,  1908 2.30 

1863.  Brilliant  proof,  Wilcox,  1901 30.00 

1863.  Brilliant  proof,  Lockwood,  1905 40.00 

1864.  Brilliant  proof,  Smith,  1906 27.50 

1864.  Brilliant  proof,  Wilcox,  1901 46.00 

1865.  Uncirculated,  1906 20.00 

1865.  Brilliant  proof,  Wilcox,  1901 34.00 

1866.  Brilliant  proof,  Smith,  1906 10.00 

1866.  Brilliant  proof,  Wilcox,  1901 14.00 

1867.  Uncirculated,  Smith,  1906 7.75 

1868.  Brilliant  proof,  Smith,  1906 9.00 

1869.  Brilliant  proof,  Smith,  1906 13.00 

1870.  Brilliant  proof,  Smith,  1906 9.00 

1870.  Fine,  Kuntz,  1908 4.00 

1870s.  Extremely  fine,  Smith,  1906 70.00 

1870s.  Proof,  Green,  1907 135.00 

1870s.  Uncirculated,  Wilcox,  1901 105.00 

1871.  Brilliant  proof,  Smith,  1906 10.00 

1872.  Brilliant  proof,  Smith,  1906 10.00 

1873.  Brilliant  proof,  Smith,  1906 4.75 


U.  S.,  PRIVATE,  TERRITORIAL  GOLD  COINS  15 

1874.  Uncirculated,  Smith,  1906 $ 2.25 

1874.  Fine,  Elder,  1908 2.10 

1875.  Brilliant  proof,  Smith,  1906 51.00 

1875.  Proof,  Lockwood,  1905 60.00 

1876.  Brilliant  proof,  Smith,  1906 5.00 

1877.  Brilliant  proof,  Smith,  1906 4.75 

1878.  Brilliant  proof,  Smith,  1906 4.50 

1879.  Uncirculated,  Smith,  1906 2.25 

1880.  Brilliant  proof,  Smith,  1906 8.00 

1880.  Uncirculated,  Smith,  1906 6.00 

1881.  Brilliant  proof,  Smith,  1906 2.50 

1882.  Brilliant  proof,  Smith,  1906 3.50 

1883.  Uncirculated,  Smith,  1906 2.25 

1884.  Brilliant  proof,  Smith,  1906 2.50 

1885.  Brilliant  proof,  Smith,  1906 2.50 

1885.  Brilliant  proof,  Kuntz,  1908 3.10 

1886.  Brilliant  proof,  Smith,  1906 2.50 

1887.  Brilliant  proof,  Smith,  1906 2.50 

1887.  Brilliant  proof,  Kuntz,  1908 2.60 

1888.  Brilliant  proof.  Smith,  1906 2.50 

1888.  Brilliant  proof,  Kuntz,  1908 2.25 

1889.  Brilliant  proof,  Smith,  1906 2.50 

1889.  Uncirculated,  Kuntz,  1908 2.30 


16 


ADAMS’  OFFICIAL  PREMIUM  LIST 


TWO  DOLLARS  AND  A HALF 


The  $2.50  piece,  or  quarter  eagle,  was  authorized  by  act  of  April 
2,  1792,  with  a weight  of  67.5  grains  and  a fineness  of  916  2/3-1000. 
The  weight  was  changed  to  64.5  grains  by  act  of  June  28,  1834,  and 
the  fineness  reduced  to  899.225.  By  act  of  January  18,  1837,  the 
fineness  was  increased  to  .900.  Although  authorized  in  1792,  still 
the  quarter  eagle  was  not  issued  until  1796.  It  was  produced  at  the 
mint  in  1797,  1798,  1802,  1804-1808;  1821,  1824-1827,  1829  to  date. 


1796. 

1796. 


(No  stars.)  Fine,  Smith,  1906... $ 22.50 

(No  stars.)  Uncirculated,  Jewett,  1909 105.00 


1796.  (Sixteen  stars.) 
1796.  (Sixteen  stars.) 


Very  fine,  Smith,  1906 
Steigerwalt,  1907 


62.50 

117.50 


1797.  Stickney,  1907 200.00 

1798.  Fine,  plain  edge,  Stickney,  1907 31.00 

1802.  (Over  ’01.)  Very  fine,  Stickney 10.00 

1802.  (Thirteen  stars.)  Uncirculated,  Jewett,  1909 80.00 

1804.  Very  fine,  Stickney,  1907 23.00 

1804.  Very  fine,  Elder,  1908 14.50 

1805.  Very  fine,  Stickney,  1907 16.00 

1806.  (Over  ’04.)  Very  fine,  Stickney,  1907 43.00 

1806.  (Over  ’05.)  Uncirculated,  Steigerwalt 200.00 

1807.  Extremely  fine,  Stickney,  1907 8.00 


U.  S.,  PRIVATE,  TERRITORIAL  GOLD  COINS 


17 


1808. 

1821. 

1824. 

1825. 


1826. 

1826. 

1827. 

1829. 

1830. 

1831. 

1832. 

1833. 


1834. 

1834. 

1835. 

1835. 

1836. 

1836. 

1837. 

1838. 

1838. 
1838c. 

1839. 


Very  fine,  Stickney,  1907 $10.00 

Very  fine,  Stickney,  1907 30.00 

(Over  ’21.)  Very  fine,  Stickney 23.00 

Very  fine,  Stickney,  1907 15.00 


(Over  ’25.)  Very  fine,  Smith,  1906 170.00 

(Over  ’25.)  Extremely  fine,  Wilcox,  1901 75.00 

Very  fine,  Stickney,  1907 39.00 

Extremely  fine,  Stickney,  1907 13.00 

Extremely  fine,  Stickney,  1907 11.00 

Brilliant  proof,  Stickney,  1907 31.00 

Extremely  fine,  Stickney,  1907 11.00 

Very  fine,  Stickney,  1907 11.00 


(With  motto.)  Extremely  fine,  Stickney,  1907 320.00 

(Without  motto.)  Extremely  fine,  Stickney,  1907 3.25 

Extremely  fine,  Appleton,  1907 4.25 

Extremely  fine,  Gsehwend,  1908 2.80 

Very  fine,  Kuntz,  1908 2.50 

Uncirculated,  Smith,  1906 4.25 

Very  fine,  Appleton,  1907 10.50 

Very  good,  Kuntz,  1908 2.50 

Fine,  Appleton,  1907 3.50 

Very  fine,  Eavenson,  1903 4.40 

Extremely  fine,  Wilson,  1907 9.00 


IS 


ADAMS’  OFFICIAL  PREMIUM  LIST 


1839c.  Very  fine,  Stickney,  1907 $ 3.00 

1839d.  Extremely  fine,  Kuntz,  1908 3.50 

1839d.  Very  fine,  Smith,  1906 5.75 

1839o.  Extremely  fine,  Appleton,  1907 3.00 

1840.  Very  good,  Kuntz,  1908 2.50 

1840c.  Very  fine,  Appleton,  1907 6.50 

1840n.  Very  fine,  Appleton,  1907 6.50 

1840o.  Fine,  Davis,  1890 3.60 

1840o.  Fine,  Appleton,  1907 5.00 


1841.  (Only  two  of  these  coins  are  known  to  be  in  existence. 

One  is  owned  by  a private  collector  in  Connecticut, 
and  the  other  specimen  is  in  the  United  States  Mint 
collection  at  Philadelphia.  The  mint  records,  how- 
ever, do  not  mention  the  issue  of  a quarter  eagle  in 


this  year  at  the  parent  mint.) 

1841c.  Uncirculated,  Appleton,  1907 7.00 

1841d.  Fine,  Elder,  1907 13.25 

1841o.  No  record  available  of  public  sale. 

1842.  Fine,  Taylor-Windle,  1908 155.00 

1842c.  Very  fine,  Appleton,  1907 7.25 

1842d.  Fine,  Davis,  1890 3.10 

1842o.  Extremely  fine,  Kuntz,  1908 4.00 

1842o.  Fine,  Appleton,  1907 4.75 

1843.  Fine,  Appleton,  1907 3.25 

1843c.  Very  fine,  Stickney,  1907 4.75 

1843d.  (Small  date.)  Very  fine,  Appleton 4.75 

1843d.  (Small  date.)  Very  fine,  Gschwend 3.00 

1843o.  (Small  date.)  Fine,  Appleton,  1907 3.00 

1843o.  (Small  date.)  Very  good,  Kuntz,  1908 2.50 

1844.  Extremely  fine,  Appleton,  1907 18.00 

1844c.  Very  fine,  Appleton,  1907 7.00 

1844c.  Fine,  Gschwend,  1908 3.25 

1844d.  Very  fine,  Kuntz,  1908 2.50 

1844d.  Uncirculated,  Appleton,  1907 6.70 

1845.  Very  fine,  Kuntz,  1908 2.50 

1845.  Fine,  Appleton,  1907 4.25 


1845o.  (The  mint  records  do  not  mention  this  variety  of  quar- 
ter eagle,  but  nevertheless  several  specimens  are 
known  to  be  in  existence.  There  is  no  record  of 


public  sale.) 

1845d.  Fine,  Appleton,  1907....- 6.00 

1846.  Extremely  fine,  Appleton,  1907 5.25 

1846c.  Fine,  Appleton,  1907 6.00 


U.  S.,  PRIVATE,  TERRITORIAL  GOLD  COINS 


19 


1846d.  Very  fine,  Wilson,  1907 $11.00 

1846o.  (Over  1843.)  Fine,  Stickney,  1907 10.00 

1847.  Very  fine,  Appleton,  1907 6.50 

1847c.  Very  fine,  Appleton,  1907 6.50 

1847d.  Uncirculated,  Appleton,  1907 12.00 

1847o.  Fine,  Appleton,  1907 6.75 

1848.  Very  fine,  Appleton,  1907 7.00 

1848.  Fine,  Gschwend,  1908 6.75 

1848c.  Very  fine,  Appleton,  1907 7.00 

1848.  (“Cal.”)  Semi-proof,  Zabriskie,  1909 85.00 

1848d.  Uncirculated,  Appleton,  1907... 8.00 

1848d.  Fine,  Gschwend,  1908 4.00 

1849.  Very  fine,  Appleton,  1907 6.00 

1849c.  Very  fine,  Appleton,  1907 10.00 

1849d.  Extremely  fine,  Appleton,  1907 12.00 

1850.  Very  fine,  Appleton,  1907 3.00 

1850c.  Very  fine,  Appleton,  1907 6.50 

1850d.  Very  fine,  Appleton,  1907 7.50 

1850o.  Very  fine,  Appleton,  1907 6.75 

1851.  Extremely  fine,  Stickney,  1907 2.60 

1851c.  Very  fine,  Appleton,  1907 7.50’ 

1851c.  Fine,  Gschwend,  1908 3.00 

1851d.  Very  fine,  Appleton,  1907 9.00 

1851o.  Uncirculated,  Appleton,  1907 5.00 

1852.  Extremely  fine.  Smith,  1906 4.50 

1852c.  Fine,  Appleton,  1907 6.50 

1852d.  Extremely  fine,  Appleton,  1907 60.00 

1852o.  Very  fine,  Appleton,  1907 3.50 

1853.  Uncirculated,  Appleton,  1907 3.25 

1853d.  Very  fine,  Appleton,  1907 50.00 

1854.  Uncirculated,  Appleton,  1907 2.75 

1854c.  Very  fine,  Appleton,  1907 7.50 

1854d.  No  record  of  public  sale. 

1854o.  Very  fine,  Appleton,  1907 4.00 

1854s.  No  record  of  public  sale. 

1855.  Uncirculated,  Appleton,  1907 6.50 

1855c.  Very  fine,  Appleton,  1907 3.00 

1855d.  No  record  of  public  sale. 

1856.  Very  fine,  Appleton,  1907 8.00 

1856c.  Very  fine,  Appleton,  1907 8.00 

1856d.  No  record  of  public  sale. 

1856o.  Very  fine,  Appleton,  1907 6.50 

1856s.  Uncirculated,  Appleton,  1907 7.00 

1857.  Very  fine.  Smith,  1906 3.25 


20  ADAMS’  OFFICIAL  PREMIUM  LIST 


1857d.  No  record  of  public  sale. 

1857o.  Very  fine,  Smith,  1906 $ 4.00 

1857s.  Uncirculated,  Appleton,  1907 36.00 

1858.  Very  fine,  Appleton,  1907 3.50 

1858c.  Very  fine,  Appleton,  1907 9.00 

1858s.  No  record  of  public  sale. 

1859.  Very  fine,  Appleton,  1907 4.00 

1859d.  No  record  of  public  sale. 

1859s.  No  record  of  public  sale. 

1860.  Brilliant  proof,  Smith,  1906 6.50 

1860c.  Very  fine,  Appleton,  1907 12.50 

1860s.  Fine,  Appleton,  1907 7.00 

1863.  (Only  thirty  coined.)  Brilliant  proof,  Maris,  1886....  5.40 

1863.  Mills,  1904 55.00 

1865.  (1,545  coined.)  Dull  proof,  Mills,  1904 17.50 

1867.  (3,250  coined.)  Very  fine,  Appleton,  1907 38.00 

1875.  (420  coined.)  Brilliant  proof,  Appleton,  1907 45.00 

1877.  (1,652  coined.)  Uncirculated,  Appleton,  1907 10.00 

1881.  (680  coined.)  Brilliant  proof,  Stickney,  1907 4.50 

1885.  (887  coined.)  Brilliant  proof,  Stickney,  1907 5.25 


Very  few  of  the  quarter  eagles  other  than  those  here  mentioned 
command  a premium  worth  mentioning.  Even  the  latest  of  the 
quarter  eagles,  dated  1908  and  1909,  of  the  new  design,  known  as  the 
Bigelow-Pratt  pieces,  made  at  the  suggestion  of  Dr.  William  S.  Bige- 
low, after  the  design  of  Bela  L.  Pratt,  the  sculptor  and  medalist, 
both  of  Boston,  are  worth  no  more  than  face  value. 


$2.50.  1909.  Pratt-Bigelow  design.  No  premium. 


U.  S.,  PRIVATE,  TERRITORIAL  GOLD  COINS 


21 


THREE  DOLLARS 

The  three  dollar  piece  was  authorized  by  act  of  February  21, 
1853,  to  have  a weight  of  77.4  grains  and  a fineness  of  .900.  The 
coin  was  issued  continuously  from  1854  to  1889,  inclusive,  and  dis- 
continued during  the  latter  year.  The  general  design  of  this  coin 
was  the  same  during  all  the  years  of  its  issue,  bearing  on  the  obverse 
a representation  of  the  head  of  Liberty,  upon  which  is  a head- 
dress of  feathers.  Like  the  gold  dollar,  the  design  of  this  coin  was 
the  work  of  Mr.  Longacre. 


1854.  Uncirculated,  Smith,  1906 $ 7.00 

1854.  Extremely  fine,  Wilcox,  1901 4.50 

1854d.  Very  good,  Smith,  1906.  22.50 

1854d.  Very  fine,  Wilcox,  1901 10.00 

1854o.  Very  good,  Smith,  1906 4.00 

1854o.  Very  good,  Wilcox,  1901 4.00 

1855.  Extremely  fine,  Wilcox,  1901 4.00 

1855.  Uncirculated,  Smith,  1906 4.50 

1855s.  Fine,  Smith,  1906 6.25 

1855s.  Very  fine,  Wilcox,  1901 7.25 

1856.  Very  fine,  Smith,  1906 4.50 

1856.  Extremely  fine,  Wilcox,  1901 5.25 

1856s.  Very  good.  Smith,  1906 4.00 

1856s.  Very  fine,  Wilcox,  1901 5.75 

1857.  Very  fine,  Smith,  1906 4.50 

1857.  Very  fine,  Wilcox,  1901 5.00 

1857s.  Very  fine,  Smith,  1906 5.50 

1857s.  Very  fine,  Wilcox,  1901 4.50 

1858.  Very  fine,  Smith,  1906 8.00 

1858.  Very  fine,  Wilcox,  1901 10.00 

1859.  Uncirculated,  Smith,  1906 5.50 

1859.  Extremely  fine,  Wilcox,  1901 5.25 

1860.  Extremely  fine,  Stickncy,  1907 6.00 

1860.  Extremely  fine,  Wilcox,  1901 5.00 

1860s.  Extremely  fine,  Smith,  1906 11.00 


22 


ADAMS’  OFFICIAL  PREMIUM  LIST 


1860s.  Fine,  Gschwend,  1908 $ 4.35 

1861.  Extremely  fine,  Smith,  1906 4.50 

1861.  Brilliant  proof,  Wilcox,  1901 17.00 

1862.  Very  fine,  Stickney,  1907 6.50 

1862.  Brilliant  proof,  Wilcox,  1901 17.00 

1863.  Very  fine,  Smith,  1906 5.00 

1863.  Uncirculated,  Wilcox,  1901 10.50 

1864.  Very  fine,  Smith,  1906 7.00 

1864.  Brilliant  proof,  W'ilcox,  1901 17.50 

1865.  Very  fine,  Smith,  1906 10.00 

1865.  Brilliant  proof,  Leeds,  1906 32.00 

1865.  Brilliant  proof,  Jewett,  1909 41.00 

1866.  Very  fine,  Smith,  1906 5.00 

1866.  Extremely  fine,  Wilcox,  1901 9.00 

1867.  Very  fine,  Smith,  1906 7.50 

1867.  Proof,  Wilcox,  1901 21.00 

1867.  Brilliant  proof,  Jewett,  1909 33.00 

1868.  Uncirculated,  Smith,  1906 5.50 

1868.  Uncirculated,  Wilcox,  1901..- 6.50 

1869.  Very  fine,  Smith,  1906 5.50 

1869.  Brilliant  proof,  Wilcox,  1901 15.00 

1870.  Brilliant  proof,  Wilcox,  1901 15.00 

1870.  Very  fine,  Stickney,  1907 8.00 


1870s.  Only  one  specimen  of  this  coin  is  known,  this  being 
now  in  the  possession  of  a well-known  New  York  col- 
lector. It  is  said  that  the  dies  were  used  by  a coiner 
of  the  San  Francisco  mint  to  strike  two  specimens 
in  1870.  One  of  these  was  placed  in  the  cornerstone 
of  a public  building  of  that  city.  The  mint  records 
do  not  mention  the  issue  of  a coin  of  this  denomina- 


tion and  letter. 

1871.  Very  fine,  Stickney,  1907 8.00 

1871.  Uncirculated,  Jewett,  1909 12.00 

1871.  Semi-proof,  Wilcox,  1901 6.50 

1872.  Semi-proof,  Stickney,  1907 10.00 

1872.  Semi-proof,  Wilcox,  1901 9.75 

1873.  Fine,  Smith,  1906 45.00 

1873.  Proof,  Wilcox,  1901 43.00 

1873.  Brilliant  proof,  Jewett,  1909 132.00 

1874.  Brilliant  proof,  Smith,  1906 3.75 

1874.  Brilliant  proof,  Wilcox,  1901 15.00 

1875.  Proof,  Davis,  1890 55.00 

1875.  Brilliant  proof,  Wilcox,  1901 210.00 


U.  S.,  PRIVATE,  TERRITORIAL  GOLD  COINS  23 

1875.  Brilliant  proof,  Jewett,  1909 $440.00 

1876.  Brilliant  proof.  Smith,  1900 95.00 

1876.  Brilliant  proof,  Steigerwalt,  1907 135.00 

1877.  Very  fine,  Smith,  1906 31.00 

1877.  Brilliant  proof,  Wilcox,  1901 20.00 

1877.  Extremely  fine,  Jewett,  1909 85.00 

1878.  Uncirculated,  Smith,  1906 4.00 

1878.  Uncirculated,  Elder,  1908 5.00 

1879.  Uncirculated,  Smith,  1906 3.75 

1879.  Proof,  Wilcox,  1901 5.50 

1880.  Uncirculated,  Smith,  1906 4.50 

1880.  Uncirculated,  Wilcox,  1901 5.50 

1881.  Brilliant  proof,  Smith,  1906 11.00 

1881.  Brilliant  proof,  Wilcox,  1901 10.00 

1882.  Brilliant  proof,  Smith,  1906 11.00 

1882.  Brilliant  proof,  Wilcox,  1901 6.00 

1883.  Uncirculated,  Smith,  1906 5.00 

1883.  Uncirculated,  Wilcox,  1901 6.00 

1884.  Uncirculated,  Smith,  1906 6.50 

1884.  Brilliant  proof,  Wilcox,  1901 5.75 

1885.  Brilliant  proof,  Smith,  1906 7.00 

1885.  Brilliant  proof,  Wilcox,  1901 9.10 

1886.  Brilliant  proof,  Smith,  1906 8.00 

1886.  Brilliant  proof,  Wilcox,  1901 5.00 

1887.  Brilliant  proof,  Smith,  1906 6.75 

1887.  Brilliant  proof,  Wilcox,  1901 4.25 

1888.  Brilliant  proof,  Smith,  1906 6.25 

1888.  Brilliant  proof,  Wilcox,  1901 5.25 

1889.  Brilliant  proof,  Smith,  1906 5.00 

1889.  Brilliant  proof,  Wilcox,  1901 6.25 


ADAMS’  OFFICIAL  PREMIUM  LIST 


24 


FIVE  DOLLARS 

The  five-dollar  piece,  or  “half  eagle,”  was  authorized  by  act  of 
April  2,  1792,  with  a weight  of  135  grains  and  a fineness  of  .916  2-3. 
The  weight  was  reduced  to  129  grains  by  act  of  June  28,  1834,  and 
the  fineness  lowered  to  .899.225.  The  fineness  was  increased  to 
.900  by  act  of  January  18,  1837.  The  half  eagle  has  been  issued  con- 
tinuously from  1795  up  to  the  present  year  with  the  exception  of 
1801,  1816  and  1817.  It  is  not  known  definitely  who  were  the  de- 
signers of  the  five-dollar  pieces  which  have  been  issued.  The  great- 
est change  in  design  occurred  in  1908,  when  the  original  design  of 
the  head  of  an  Indian  chief  was  adopted,  the  reverse  design  showing 
the  principal  device  of  an  eagle  fashioned  after  the  style  borne  by  the 
ancient  Ptolemaic  coins  of  Egypt.  The  1908  half  eagles  are  exactly 
like  the  quarter  eagles,  though  of  course  slightly  differing  as  to 
value  and  denomination. 


1795.  (Pleraldic  eagle.)  Very  fine,  Smith 95.00 

1796.  (Over  ’95.)  Extremely  fine,  Stickney 35.00 

1797.  (Over  ’95.)  Very  fine,  Smith,  1906 160.00 

1797.  (Fifteen  stars.)  Very  good,  Smith 160.00 

1797.  (Sixteen  stars.)  Very  fine,  Stickney 250.00 

1798.  (Large  date.)  Very  fine,  Elder,  1907 22.00 

1798.  (Small  date.)  Extremely  fine,  Wilson 14.00 


U.  S..  PRIVATE,  TERRITORIAL  GOLD  COINS 


25 


1798.  (Small  eagle.)  Ely,  1888 $ 51.00 

Only  two  known.  One  in  the  collection  of  a well- 

known  Philadelphian  and  the  other  in  the  mint 
collection  at  Philadelphia. 

1799.  Extremely  fine,  Wilson,  1907 23.00 

1800.  Very  fine,  Wilson,  1807 8.00 

1802.  (Over  ’01.)  Uncirculated,  Smith,  1906 10.00 

1802.  (Over  ’01.)  Fine,  Wilson,  1908 10.50 

1803.  (Over  ’02.)  Uncirculated,  Stickney 10.50 

1803.  (Over  ’02.)  Uncirculated,  Wilson,  1908 12.25 

1804.  (Large  “8.”)  Good,  Scott,  40th  sale 6.00 

1804.  (Small  “8.”)  Very  fine,  Smith,  1906 7.00 

1805.  Very  fine,  Stickney,  1907 8.00 

1805.  Fine,  Elder,  1908 6.90 

1806.  (Pointed  “6.”)  Very  good,  Stickney,  1907 6.50 

1806.  (Round  “6.”)  Very  good,  Stickney,  1907 7.50 

1807.  (Bust  facing  right.)  Very  fine,  Wilson 8.00 

1807.  (Bust  facing  right.)  Elder,  1908 6.60 


1807.  (Bust  facing  left.)  Extremely  fine,  Stickney,  1907..  8.00 


1808.  (Over  ’07.)  Very  good,  Stickney,  1907 8.50 

1808.  (Over  ’07.)  Uncirculated,  Elder,  1908 12.00 

1809.  (Over  ’08.)  Extremely  fine,  Stickney 7.50 

1809.  (Over  ’08.)  Very  fine,  Elder,  1908 7.50 

1810.  (Large  date.)  Extremely  fine,  Stickney 7.50 

1810.  (Large  date.)  Fine,  Elder,  1908 6.20 

1810.  (Small  date.)  Good,  Stickney,  1907 5.75 

1810.  (Small  dcite.)  Uncirculated,  Elder,  1908 9.50 

1811.  Very  fine,  Stickney,  1907 6.50 

1811.  Very  fine,  Elder,  1908 6.75 

1812.  Uncirculated,  Stickney,  1907 8.00 

1812.  Uncirculated,  Elder,  1908 8.25 

1813.  Very  fine,  Stickney,  1907 8.00 

1813.  Very  fine.  Elder,  1908 7.50 

1814.  (Over  ’13.)  Very  fine,  Stickney,  1907 15.00 


26  ADAMS’  OFFICIAL  PREMIUM  LIST 


1815.  Extremely  fine,  Stickney,  190T $2,000.00 

1815.  Very  fair,  Jenks,  1883 52.00 

1815.  Very  fine,  Adams,  1876 150.00 

1818.  Extremely  fine,  Stickney,  1907 20.00 

1819.  Extremely  fine,  Smith,  1906 550.00 

1819.  Fine,  Low,  1907 650.00 

1819.  Very  fine,  Stickney,  1907 560.00 

1820.  (Curled  “2.”)  Extremely  fine,  Stickney,  1907 30.00 

1820.  (Square  “2.”)  Uncirculated,  Wilson,  1907 34.00 

1820.  Extremely  fine,  Wilcox,  1901 18.00 

1821.  Uncirculated,  Smith,  1906 300.00 

1821.  Extremely  fine,  Stickney,  1907 200.00 

1821.  Perfect,  Jewett,  1909 275.00 

1822.  Very  fine,  Smith,  1906 2,165.00 

1823.  Uncirculated,  Smith,  1906 21.00 

1823.  Very  fine,  Stickney,  1907 16.00 

1824.  Very  fine,  Smith,  1906 120.00 

1824.  Very  fine,  Jewett,  1909 165.00 

1825.  (Over  ’21.)  Very  fine,  Smith,  1906 70.00 

1825.  Extremely  fine,  Wilson,  1907 100.00 

1826.  Extremely  fine,  Wilson,  1907 35.00 

1826.  Uncirculated,  Stickney,  1907 60.00 

1827.  Extremely  fine,  Smith,  1906 260.00 

1827.  Extremely  fine,  Stickney,  1907 350.00 

1828.  (Over  J27.)  Extremely  fine,  Wilson  240.00 

1829.  (Large  date.)  Uncirculated,  Wilson 240.00 

1829.  (Small  date.)  Extremely  fine,  Wilson 210.00 

1829.  (Small  date.)  Extremely  fine,  Stickney,  1907 360.00 

1830.  Extremely  fine,  Wilson,  1907 35.00 

1830.  Very  fine,  Wilcox,  1901 31.00 

1831.  Uncirculated,  Smith,  1906 60.00 

1831.  Extremely  fine,  Wilcox,  1901 40.00 

1831.  Very  fine,  Jewett,  1909 60.00 

1832.  Very  fine,  Smith,  1907 230.00 


1832.  Extremely  fine,  Steigerwalt,  1907 310.00 


U.  S.,  PRIVATE,  TERRITORIAL  GOLD  COINS 


27 


1833.  Extremely  fine,  Smith,  1906 $37.00 

1833.  Extremely  fine,  Wilcox,  1901 41.00 

1833.  Extremely  fine,  Jewett,  1909 50.00 

1834.  (With  motto.)  Extremely  fine,  Smith 36.00 

1834.  (With  motto.)  Extremely  fine,  Wilcox 40.50 

1834.  (Without  motto.)  Proof,  Stickney,  1907 10.00 

1834.  (Without  motto.)  Very  fine,  Stickney,  1907 5.25 

1835.  (Small  letters.)  Extremely  fine,  Stickney,  1907 5.75 

1835.  (Large  letters.)  Very  fine,  Stickney 6.00 

1836.  Extremely  fine,  Stickney,  1907 5.50 

1837.  Extremely  fine,  Stickney,  1907 7.50 

1837.  Extremely  fine,  Stickney,  1907 7.50 

1838.  Uncirculated,  Wilson,  1907 15.00 

1838c.  No  record  of  public  sale. 

1838d.  Extremely  fine,  Wilson,  1907 11.00 

1839.  Uncirculated,  Wilson,  1907 16.00 

1839c.  Very  good,  Kuntz,  1908 5.00 

1839c.  Fine,  Wilson,  1907 7.50 

1839d.  Very  fine,  Smith,  1906 7.00 

1840.  Fine,  Wilson,  1907 7.50 

1840c.  Fine,  Wilson,  1907 19.00 

1840d.  Very  fine,  Wilson,  1907 11.00 

1840o.  No  record  of  public  sale. 

1841.  No  record  of  public  sale. 

1841c.  Fine,  Stickney,  1907 8.75 

1841c.  Uncirculated,  Wilson,  1907 21.00 

1841d.  Fine,  Wilson,  1907 10.00 

1841o.  No  record  of  public  sale. 

1842.  Fine,  Wilson,  1907 8.50 

1842c.  Fine,  Wilson,  1907 7.50 

1842d.  Fine,  Elder,  1907 6.00 

1842o.  No  record  of  public  sale. 

1843.  Very  fine,  Wilson,  1907 8.50 

1843c.  No  record  of  public  sale. 

1843d.  Fine,  Stickney,  1907 * 10.00 

1843d.  Fine,  Elder,  1908 5.60 

1843o.  No  record  of  public  sale. 

1844.  Uncirculated,  Smith,  1906 12.00 

1844c.  No  record  of  public  sale. 

1844d.  Very  good,  Du  Puy,  1907 5.00 

1844o.  (Small  stars.)  Very  fine,  Stickney 8.00 

I844o.  (Large  stars.)  Fine,  Stickney,  1907 5.25 

1845.  Fine,  Wilson,  1907 7.50 


28 


ADAMS’  OFFICIAL  PREMIUM  LIST 


1845d.  Extremely  fine,  Kuntz,  1908 $ 6.10 

1845d.  Fine,  Appleton,  1907 6.60 

1845o.  Very  good,  Mehl,  1909 5.50 

1846.  Fine,  Wilson,  1907 . 6.00 

1846c.  Uncirculated,  Wilson,  1907 13.50 

1846d.  Extremely  fine,  Wilson,  1907 12.00 

1846o.  No  record  of  public  sale. 

1847.  Extremely  fine,  Kuntz,  1908 5.00 

1847.  Uncirculated,  Wilson,  1907 10.00 

1847c.  Very  good,  Wilson,  1907 8.50 

1847n.  Very  fine,  Wilson,  1907 8.00 

1847o.  No  record  of  public  sale. 

1848.  Very  fine,  Smith,  1906 7.50 

1848c.  Very  fine,  Wilson,  1907 9.00 

1848d.  Fine,  Stickney,  1907 6.25 

1849.  Very  fine,  Wilson,  1907 8.00 

1849c.  Very  good,  Stickney,  1907 6.25 

1849c.  Extremely  fine,  Wilcox,  1901 8.50 

1849d.  No  record  of  public  sale. 

1850.  Good,  Kuntz,  1908 5.00 

1850.  Extremely  fine,  Wilson,  1907 10.00 

1850c.  About  fine,  Low,  1904 5.75 

1850d.  Fine,  Wilson,  1907 9.00 

1851.  Extremely  fine,  Kuntz,  1908 5.00 

1851.  Very  fine,  Wilson,  1907 7.00 

1851c.  Very  fine,  Wilson,  1907 9.50 

1851d.  No  record  of  public  sale. 

1851o.  No  record  of  public  sale. 

1852.  Uncirculated,  Smith,  1906 7.50 

1852c.  Very  good,  Stickney,  1907 5.50 

1852d.  Good,  Kuntz,  1908 5.00 

1852d.  Fine,  Wilson,  1907 6.50 

1853.  Extremely  fine,  Wilson,  1907 7.50 

1853c.  Fine,  Wilson,  1907 6.50 

1853d.  Very  fine,  Stickney,  1907 6.00 

1854.  Extremely  fine,  Wilson,  1907 11.00 

1854c.  Very  fine,  Wilson,  1907 9.00 

1854d.  Uncirculated,  Wilson,  1907 11.00 

1854o.  No  record  of  public  sale. 

1854s.  No  record  of  public  sale. 

1855.  Fine,  Wilson,  1907 8.00 

1855c.  Fine,  Stickney,  1907 8.00 

1855d.  Very  fine,  Wilson,  1907 9.00 


U.  s..  PRIVATE,  TERRITORIAL  GOLD  COINS 


29 


1855o.  No  record  of  public  sale. 

1855s.  Very  fine,  Wilson,  1907 $ 8.50 

1856.  Very  fine,  Wilson,  1907 10.00 

1856c.  No  record  of  public  sale. 

1856d.  Extremely  fine,  Wilson,  1907 11.00 

1856o.  No  record  of  public  sale. 

1856s.  Very  fine,  Wilson,  1907 9.00 

1857.  No  record  of  public  sale. 

1857c.  Fine,  Stickney,  1907 9.00 

1857d.  No  record  of  public  sale. 

1857o.  No  record  of  public  sale. 

1857s.  Fine,  Wilson,  1907 7.50 

1858.  Brilliant  proof,  Steigerwalt,  1907 45.00 

1858c.  Fine,  Kuntz,  1908 5.00 

1858d.  No  record  of  public  sale. 

1858s.  No  record  of  public  sale. 

1859.  No  record  uf  public  sale. 

1859c.  Very  good,  Kuntz,  1908 5.00 

1859c.  Wilson,  1907 8.00 

1859d.  Uncirculated,  Stickney,  1907 24.00 

1859s.  No  record  of  public  sale. 

1860.  Fine,  Kuntz,  1908 5.00 

1860.  Proof,  Smith,  1906 13.00 

1860c.  Good,  Stickney,  1907 9.00 

1860c.  Very  good,  Taylor- Windle,  1908 7.00 

1860d.  Extremely  fine,  Wilson,  1907 14.00 

1860d.  About  fine,  Low,  1904 5.00 

1860s.  Extremely  fine,  Taylor- Windle,  1908 14.50 

1861c.  Very  fine,  Wilson,  1907 13.00 

1861d.  No  record  of  sale. 

1862.  Proof,  Smith,  1906 21.00 

1863.  Proof,  Maris,  1886 7.50 

1863s.  Fine,  Elder,  1907 11.00 

1864.  Fine,  Elder,  1907 7.50 

1865.  Brilliant  proof,  Wilson,  1907 29.00 

1866.  Proof,  Smith,  1906 25.00 

1909.  Bigelow-Pratt.  No  premium. 


30 


ADAMS’  OFFICIAL  PREMIUM  LIST 


TEN  DOLLARS 

The  ten-dollar  gold  piece,  officially  known  as  the  “eagle,”  was 
authorized  to  he  coined  by  act  of  Congress  dated  April  2,  1792.  It 
was  to  have  a weight  of  270  grains,  a fineness  of  .916  2-3.  The  weight 
was  changed  by  act.  of  June  28,  1834,  to  258  grains  and  the  fineness 
reduced  to  .899.225.  This  fineness  was  increased  to  .900  by  act  of 
January  18,  1837.  With  the  exception  of  1802,  and  from  1805  to 
1837,  inclusive,  the  eagle  has  been  issued  each  year  since  1795. 


1795.  Uncirculated,  Wilson,  1907 $32.00 

1795.  Fine,  Gschwend,  1908 21.00 

1796.  Extremely  fine,  Smith,  1906 32.50 

1796.  Very  fine,  Elder,  1908 24.00 

1797.  (Eagle  with  olive  branch.)  Very  fine,  Elder,  1908 50.00 


1797.  (Heraldic  eagle.)  Uncirculated,  Wilson,  1907 30.00 

1797.  (Heraldic  eagle.)  Very  fine,  Elder,  1908 15.25 

1798.  (Over  ’97;  thirteen  stars.)  Fine,  Wilson,  1907 70.00 

1798.  (Over  ’97;  thirteen  stars.)  Very  fine,  Jewett,  1909. . . 120.00 

1798.  (Fifteen  stars.)  Very  fine,  Mills,  1904 66.00 

1798.  (Over  ’97 ; sixteen  stars.) 

1799.  (Large  stars.)  Very  fine,  Stickney 15.00 


U.  S.,  PRIVATE,  TERRITORIAL  GOLD  COINS 


31 


1799.  (Small  stars.)  Extremely  fine,  Stiekney $ 19.00 

1800.  Very  fine,  Stiekney,  1907 15.50 

1801.  Uncirculated,  Stiekney,  1907 20.00 

1801.  Fine,  Elder,  1908 13.25 

1803.  (Small  stars.)  Extremely  fine,  Stiekney,  1907 25.00 

1803.  (Large  stars.)  Fine,  Elder,  1908 20.00 

1804.  Fine,  Mehl,  1909 80.00 

1804.  Very  fine,  Elder,  1908 25.50 

1804.  Very  fine,  Jewett,  1909 41.00 

1838.  Extremely  fine,  Wilson 32.00 

1838.  Very  fine,  Wilcox,  1901  22.00 


This  design  was  the  work  of  Engraver  William  Kneass,  and,  with 
the  exception  of  the  addition  of  the  motto,  “In  God  We  Trust,”  in 
1866,  the  same  t}rpe  was  continued  until  1907,  when  it  was  succeeded  by 
the  new  design  of  Augustus  St.  Gaudens.  Very  few  of  the  ten-dollar 
pieces  issued  after  1804  bear  a premium.  None  of  these  coins  was 
issued  from  1804  until  1838.  Nearly  all  the  eagles  issued  from 
1838  up  to  1907  are  omitted,  bearing  as  a rule  such  small  premiums 
if  any,  that  mention  of  them  is  scarcely  worth  while. 


1858.  Brilliant  proof,  Jewett,  1909 102.50 

1907.  Wire  edge  variety.  Uncirculated,  Elder,  1907 40.00 

1907.  Wire  edge  variety,  Mehl,  1909 35.00 


1907.  With  flat  border,  and  with  periods  at  either  side  of  the 

motto  “E  Pluribus  Unum,”  Chapman,  1909 35.00 

1907.  With  wider  border,  periods  omitted.  Type  issued  for 

general  circulation,  Chapman,  1908 10.50 


32 


ADAMS’  OFFICIAL  PREMIUM  LIST 


TWENTY  DOLLARS 

The  twenty-dollar  gold  piece,  or  “double  eagle,”  was  authorized 
by  act  of  Congress  dated  March  3,  1849.  The  coin  was  to  have  a 
weight  of  516  grains  and  a fineness  of  .900.  It  was  issued  continu- 
ously from  1849  up  to  the  present  time.  James  B.  Longacre  was  the 
designer,  and  with  but  few  alterations  the  type  was  continued  to  1907, 
when  it  was  superseded  by  the  St.  Gaudens  design.  Not  many  of 
the  double  eagles  command  a premium,  for  the  reason  that  there  are 
only  a few  collectors  who  gather  the  denomination.  Nevertheless,  this 
series  embraces  what  is  regarded  as  one  of  the  highest  valued  coins 
in  the  world — the  double  eagle  of  1849,  of  which  only  a single  speci- 
men was  made  in  gold.  This  piece  is  now  on  exhibition  at  the  Phila- 
delphia mint.  One  collector  is  credited  with  having  offered  the 
Government  authorities  $75,000  for  the  rare  coin,  but  of  course  with- 
out avail.  It  was  not  until  late  in  1849  that  the  die  was  completed 
for  the  coin,  and  before  arrangements  were  made  for  striking  double 
eagles  for  circulation  the  year  1850  came  in.  Consequently  a new 
die  had  to  be  made.  The  1850  double  eagle  is  very  nearly  like  that 
of  1849.  The  only  alteration  was  to  lower  the  relief  of  the  cheek  of 
Liberty,  which  stands  out  prominently  on  the  1849  piece.  There  are 
a few  varieties  of  the  St.  Gaudens  double  eagle  which  command  a 
premium.  These  are  herewith  mentioned. 


$20.  St.  Gaudens.  1907.  Wire  edge,  Chapman,  1908 $35.00 

$20.  1907.  Smooth  edge,  Chapman,  1908 30.00 

$20.  1907.  Similar,  but  in  lower  relief.  The  one  issued  for 

general  circulation,  Chapman,  1908 20.50 


U.  S.,  PRIVATE,  TERRITORIAL  GOLD  COINS 


33 


PRIVATE  GOLD  COINS 

1830—1861 

Issued  in 

Georgia,  North  Carolina,  Utah,  Oregon, 
California  and  Colorado 


PRIVATE  gold  coins  are  those  which  have  been  struck  in  various 
sections  of  the  United  States,  from  1830  to  1861,  to  supply  a 
suitable  currency  of  definite  values  at  times  when  there  existed 
a lack  of  the  regular  United  States  coins. 

Owing  to  a curious  loophole  in  the  laws  of  the  United  States, 
private  individuals  for  many  years  were  permitted  to  issue  gold  coins 
that  circulated  freely  as  money,  although  the  laws  expressly  forbade 
any  State  to  issue  coins  bearing  its  own  stamp. 

Private  gold  coins  first  were  issued  in  1830  by  Templeton  Reid, 
an  assayer,  who  did  business  near  the  gold  mines  of  Lumpkin  County, 
Georgia.  Mr.  Reid  was  followed  by  Christopher  Bechtler,  who  some 
lime  in  1831  began  the  issue  of  coins  bearing  his  private  stamp  at 
Rutherford  ton,  N,  C.  Then  when  the  gold  discoveries  were  made  in 
California  in  1848  the  necessity  for  an  adequate  circulating  medium 
in  place  of  gold  dust  resulted  in  private  gold  pieces  making  their 
appearance  in  1849  almost  simultaneously  in  California,  Utah,  and 
Oregon. 

In  1860  similar  gold  coins  were  again  made  in  Colorado  during 
the  Pike’s  Peak  gold  excitement,  and  it  was  in  Denver,  in  1861,  that 
the  last  of  the  private  gold  coins  was  issued.  A law  was  passed  on 
June  4,  1864,  forbidding  the  issue  of  such  coins  by  private  indi- 
viduals. 

Numerous  varieties  of  the  private  issues  differ  in  design  from 
the  regular  United  States  coins  only  in  trifling  minor  details  that 
would  escape  the  attention  of  the  casual  observer.  While  some  of 
these  coins  are  of  original  and  striking  design,  still,  as  the  issue  of 
such  pieces  became  more  general,  the  engravers  grew  bolder,  and, 
notwithstanding  the  law’s  express  stipulation  that  no  coin  should  be 
made  in  similitude  of  the  regular  issues,  they  turned  out  $2.50,  $5, 
.$10  and  $20  gold  pieces  almost  exact  in  their  reproduction  of  the 
chief  designs  of  the  obverse  and  reverse  of  the  United  States  coins, 


ADAMS'  OFFICIAL  PREMIUM  LIST 


3-1 

differing  only  on  the  obverse  with  the  name  of  the  firm  of  issue  in 
small  letters  on  the  coronet  of  Liberty,  where  the  word  “Liberty”  is 
borne  by  the  pieces  of  regular  issue.  On  the  reverse  the  only  differ- 
ence lay  in  the  inscription  around  the  border,  the  remainder  of  the 
design  being  the  same  as  that  on  the  Government  coin. 

There  is  little  doubt  that  many  coins  of  this  description  are  still 
passing  from  hand  to  hand,  as  millions  of  dollars’  worth  were  made. 
Occasionally  specimens  come  to  light  in  consignments  of  gold  or  in 
payments  to  bankers.  A well-known  banking  firm  of  New  York  just 
a short  time  ago  found  a twenty-dollar  piece  of  Wass,  Molitor  & Co., 
of  San  Francisco,  dated  1855,  in  a consignment  of  gold  from  Colom- 
bia. This  coin  realized  $500  at  an  auction  a few  weeks  later. 

A short  time  before  that  a Chicago  bank  found,  a twenty-dollar 
gold  piece  of  Clark,  Gruber  & Co.,  of  Denver,  dated  1861,  in  a 
consignment  of  gold  coins.  One  of  these  pieces  has  brought  $300. 

There  are  many  other  rarities-,  differing  very  little  from  the 
United  States  coin,  that  will  be  rare  prizes  for  the  person  who  comes 
across  them.  The  discovery  of  such  a coin  as  the  five-dollar  piece  of 
Dunbar  & Co.  or  Dubosq  & Co.,  both  issued  in  San  Francisco,  and 
almost  exactly  like  the  United  States  five-dollar  piece,  will  return  the 
finder  a reward  that  will  amply  repay  him  for  a great  deal  of  time 
spent  in  scrutinizing  such  gold  coins  that  may  come  into  his 
possession. 

That  valuable  gold  coins  from  time  to  time  are  being  remelted 
owing  to  ignorance  as  to  their  real  value  was  confirmed  by  the  fact 
that  in  1908  a lot  of  the  Bechtler  gold  pieces,  of  a bullion  value  of 
$600,  was  received  at  the  New  York  Assay  Office,  and,  no  one  there 
Inning  any  idea  of  their  value  to  collectors,  the  whole  lot  was  con- 
signed to  the  melting  pot.  What  that  lot  of  coins  was  really  worth 
can  of  course  only  be  conjectured,  but  when  one  considers  that  $785 
was  recently  paid  for  a certain  variety  of  the  Bechtler  five-dollar 
gold  piece  the  possibilities  of  the  remelted  lot  of  coins  can  be  approxi- 
mately estimated. 


U.  S.,  PRIVATE,  TERRITORIAL  GOLD  COINS 


35 


GEORGIA 

TEMPLETON  REID, 

Lumpkin  County,  Ga. 

1830. 

The  coins  struck  in  Georgia  consisted  of  three  denominations — 
$2.50,  $5,  and  $10.  All  of  these  were  issued  by  Templeton  Reid, 
who  operated  a private  minting  establishment  near  the  gold  mines 
of  Lumpkin  County,  Ga.  It  is  not  known  how  long  this  money- 
making plant  existed,  but  the  first  of  the  coins  bearing  this  stamp  is 
dated  1830.  They  represent  the  first  private  gold  coins  to  be  issued  in 
the  United  States  to  pass  as  money.  The  $2.50  piece  weighed  60.5 
grains,  of  a fineness  of  .932,  with  an  intrinsic  value  of  $2.43,  while 
the  ten- dollar  piece,  of  which  there  were  two  varieties,  weighed  248 
grains,  of  a fineness  of  .942,  and  had  an  intrinsic  value  of  $10.06  to 
$10  15.  The  Georgia  coins  of  Templeton  Reid  contained  gold  of  a 
higher  standard  of  fineness  than  any  other  gold  coins  ever  issued  in 
this  country,  without  excepting  those  of  the  Government.  The  purest 
gold  used  by  the  United  States  in  its  issues  was  in  the  gold  pieces 
issued  prior  to  1834,  the  fineness  of  which  was  .916  2-3.  In  1834  this 
was  changed  to  .899.225,  and  in  1837  made  .900,  which  latter  fine- 
ness has  been  the  standard  ever  since.  The  fact  that  Reid’s  ten- 
dollar  pieces  were  worth  so  much  more  than  their  face  value  no 
doubt  caused  the  great  majority  of  the  coins  to  be  remelted,  which 
accounts  for  their  present  scarcity.  All  of  the  coins  issued  by  this 
assayer  are  very  rare,  particularly  the  five  and  ten-dollar  pieces. 
There  are  only  two  known  specimens  of  the  five-dollar  piece.  One 
of  these  is  in  the  mint  at  Philadelphia  and  the  other  is  owned  by  a 
well-known  Chicago  collector.  There  is  only  one  known  specimen  of 
the  ten-dollar  gold  piece  with  date,  this  being  owned  also  by  the 
Chicago  collector.  Through  the  kindness  of  this  gentleman  we  are 
permitted  to  place  before  the  general  public  a reproduction  of  this 
rare  coin  for  the  first  time.  Of  the  ten-dollar  piece  without  date 
there  are  but  two  known  specimens — one  in  the  mint  and  the  second 
in  the  possession  of  the  same  Chicago  collector. 


TWO  DOLLARS  AND  A HALF 


36 


ADAMS’  OFFICIAL  PREMIUM  LIST 


1830.  Barely  circulated,  Scott,  26th  sale,  1885 $19.25 

1830.  Very  fine,  Elder,  1908 335.00 

1830.  Very  fine,  Zabriskie,  1909 280.00 


FIVE  DOLLARS 


1830. 


About  fine,  Low,  1905 


TEN  DOLLARS 


(1830.)  (Without  date.)  No  record  of  sale. 


U.  S.,  PRIVATE,  TERRITORIAL  GOLD  COINS 


37 


NORTH  CAROLINA 

CHRISTOPHER  BECHTLER 
Rutlierfordton,  N.  C. 

1831-1842. 

The  private  mint  of  Christopher  Bechtler  was  located  at  Ruther- 
fordton,  Rutherford  County,  N.  C.  The  first  of  these  coins,  although 
not  dated,  are  supposed  to  have  been  issued  early  in  1831.  Chris- 
topher Bechtler  transferred  his  mint  to  his  son,  August  Bechtler, 
some  time  in  the  early  forties.  The  coins  issued  by  the  latter  bear 
the  name  of  “A.  BECHTLER.”  The  inscriptions  of  “Carolina,” 
“North  Carolina,”  and  “Georgia”  were  placed  on  the  Bechtler  coins 
to  indicate  the  quality  of  the  gold.  The  lowest  grade  of  gold  was 
20  carats,  the  coins  containing  which  are  stamped  “North  Carolina 
Gold.”  The  coins  of  the  next  grade,  21  carats,  are  stamped  “Caro- 
lina,” while  those  of  22  carats  fineness  bear  the  stamp  of  “Georgia.” 
Intrinsically  the  dollar  pieces  had  a value  of  94  cents,  the  $2.50 
pieces  averaged  about  $2.43,  and  the  five-dollar  pieces  about  $4.86. 

The  coins  of  the  Bechtlers  are  now  much  sought  by  collectors,  who 
pay  high  premiums  for  certain  varieties.  They  are  now  quite  scarce, 
notwithstanding  the  number  that,  according  to  Mr.  Bechtler’s  books, 
were  originally  issued.  He  stated  that  from  January,  1831,  to  Feb- 
ruary, 1840,  he  had  coined  a total  of  $2,241,840.50  in  gold  pieces,  his 
gold  averaging  80  cents  to  the  pennyweight. 


$1.  (“Carolina  28  G.”)  Extremely  fine,  Elder,  1907 $ 8.00 

$1.  (“Carolina  28  G”)  Very  fine,  Zabriskie,  1909 5.50 

$1.  (“North  Carolina  28G.”)  Very  good,  Wetmore,  1906...  4.40 

$1.  (“North  Carolina  28G.”)  Extremely  fine,  Zabriskie, 

1909,  “28G”  in  centre 18.00 

$1.  (“North  Carolina  30G.”)  Fine,  Stickney,  1907 15.00 

$1.  (“North  Carolina  30G”)  Very  fine,  Proskey,  1903 10.50 

$1.  (“North  Carolina  30G.”)  Fine,  Zabriskie,  1909 12.00 

$1.  (“North  Carolina  30G”)  Fine,  Jewett,  1909 13.00 


ADAMS’  OFFICIAL  PREMIUM  LIST 


3 8 


$2.50 

$2.50. 

$2.50. 

$2.50. 

$2.50. 


$2.50. 

$2.50. 

$2.50. 

$2.50. 

$2.50. 

$2.50. 

$2.50. 

$2.50. 


$2.50. 


$2.50. 

$2.50. 

$2.50. 


(“Carolina  67  G.  21C.”)  Extremely  fine,  Elder,  1908.  .$  75.00 

Do.  Very  fine,  Elder,  1908.  . 50.00 

Do.  Extremely  fine,  Zabriskie,  1909 43.00 

(“Carolina  70G.  20C.”)  Extremely  fine,  Wilcox,  1901.  16.75 

Do.  Very  fine,  Zabriskie,  1909 135.00 


(“Georgia  64G.  22C.”)  Very  Fine,  Elder,  1907....  105.00 

Do.  Very  fine,  Elder,  11th  sale 170.00 

Do.  Gschwend,  1908 135.00 

Do.  Wilcox,  1901 16.50 

Do.  Fine,  Brown,  1904 21.00 

Do.  Extremely  fine,  Zabriskie,  1909 63.00 

(“North  Carolina  75G.  20C.”)  Very  fine,  Stickney, 

1907  230.00 

Do.  Uncirculated,  Zabriskie,  1909 400.00 


(“North  Carolina,  250,  20C.“)  C.  Bechtler,  As- 

sayer,  Rutherford.  Fine,  Elder,  1908 

Do.  Extremely  fine,  Morris,  1905 

Do.  Very  fine,  Elder,  1907 

Do.  Very  fine,  Zabriskie,  1909 


85.00 

100.00 

300.00 


U.  S.,  PRIVATE,  TERRITORIAL  GOLD  COINS 


39 


$2.50.  (“North  Carolina,  Assayer,  ‘20C’  on  obverse  and 
’75G’  on  reverse.”)  There  is  no  record  of  the  public 
sale  of  this  piece,  which  can  be  regarded  as  the  rarest 
of  the  $2.50  pieces  issued  by  the  Bechtler  mint.  The 
only  known  specimen  is  owned  by  a well-known  Chi- 
cago collector. 

$5.  (“Carolina  140G.  20C.  RUTHERF”)  No  record  of 

public  sale. 


$5.  (“Carolina  I40G.  20C.  RUTHERFORD.”)  Fine, 


Elder,  1907 $33.00 

$5.  Fine,  Brown,  1904  40.00 

$5.  Do.  Very  fine,  Wilcox,  1901 14.00 

$5.  Uncirculated,  Elder,  1908  54.00 

$5.  Do.  Very  fine,  Zabriskie,  1909 ....  31.00 


$5.  (“Carolina  134G.  21C.  RUTHEIL 

1907  

$5.  Do.  Very  fine,  Chapman,  1908 

$5.  Do.  Fine,  Bushnell,  1889  

$5.  Do.  Proskev,  1903  

$5.  Do.  Extremely  fine,  Zabriskie,  1909 


$5.  (“North  Carolina  150G.  20C.”)  Extremely  fine,  Zabris- 
kie, 1909  . 420.00 


40 


ADAMS’  OFFICIAL  PREMIUM  LIST 


$5.  Very  fine,  Bushnell,  1882 $ 5.40 

$5.  Do.  Uncirculated,  Frossard,  1884 6.60 

$5.  Do.  Very  fine,  Elder,  1908 785.00 

$5.  Do.  Fair,  Elder,  1909  55.00 

$5.  Do.  Fine,  Mehl,  1909 675.00 

$5.  (“Georgia  128G.  22C.  RUTHERFORD.”)  No  record 
of  public  sale. 

$5.  (“Georgia  128G.  22C.  RUTHERF”)  Fine,  Elder, 

1907  85.00 

$5.  Do.  Extremely  fine,  Chapman,  1908 70.00 

$5.  Do.  Very  fine,  Wilcox,  1901 18.00 

$5.  Do.  Very  fine,  Zabriskie,  1909 59.00 


AUGUST  BEC11TLER. 
1842-1852. 


$1.  (“Carolina  27G.  21C”)  Fine,  Elder,  1907 2.90 

$1.  Do.  Very  fine,  Elder,  1908 3.50 

$1.  Do.  Extremely  fine.  Chapman,  1908 5.25 

$1.  Very  fine,  Zabriskie,  1909 2.75 

$1.  Do.  Uncirculated,  Mehl,  1909 6.50 

$5.  (“Carolina  128G.  22C.”)  Very  good,  Proskey,  1903....  11.50 


$5.  (“Carolina  134G.  21C”)  Fine,  Elder,  1907 32.00 

$5.  Do.  Fine,  Brown,  1904 25.00 

$5.  Do.  Very  fine,  Bushnell,  1889 5.25 

$5.  Do.  Fine,  Zabriskie,  1909 24.00 

$5.  Do.  Very  fine,  Jewett,  1909 30.00 


U.  S.,  PRIVATE,  TERRITORIAL  GOLD  COINS 


41 


$5.  (“Carolina  141G.  20C.”)  Fine,  Stickney,  1907 $ 24. 

$5.  Do.  Fine,  Bushnell,  1889 6. 

$5.  Do.  Good,  Humbert,  1902 14. 

$5.  Do.  Very  good,  Elder,  1907 26. 

$5.  Do.  Zabriskie,  1909 90. 


00 

50 

50 

25 

00 


ADAMS’  OFFICIAL  PREMIUM  LIST 


42 


OREGON 

OREGON  EXCHANGE  COMPANY 
Oregon  City. 

1849. 

Early  in  1849  need  for  gold  coins  developed  in  Oregon  Territory 
to  replace  gold  dust,  which  at  that  time  was  the  only  circulating 
medium.  An  attempt  was  made  by  the  provincial  government  to  es- 
tablish a mint.  This  failed,  and  a private  organization,  the  Oregon 
Exchange  Company,  made  arrangements  to  strike  gold  coins  of  the 
denominations  of  $5  and  $10.  This  company  was  composed  of  Will- 
iam K.  Kilburne,  Theophilus  Magiuder,  James  Taylor,  George  Aber- 
nethy,  William  H.  Wilson,  William  H.  Rector,  James  Gill,  H.  Camp- 
bell and  Noys  Smith. 

The  mint  was  erected  at  Oregon  City,  a blacksmith,  Thomas 
Powell,  making  the  necessary  coining  apparatus.  Hamilton  Camp- 
bell engraved  the  dies.  The  initials  on  the  five-dollar  piece  represent 
the  first  letter  of  the  family  name  of  each  member  of  the  company, 
although  the  letter  “G”  is  an  error  on  the  part  of  the  engraver,  the 
letter  “C”  being  intended.  Another  error  was  the  reversal  of  the 
letters  for  Oregon  Territory,  these  appearing  “T  O”  on  the  five- 
dollar  piece.  This  error  was  corrected  when  the  dies  for  the  ten- 
doilar  piece  were  made. 

The  five-dollar  piece  weighed  127  yz  grains,  of  a fineness  of  .878, 
with  an  intrinsic  value  of  $4.62,  but  had  a value  of  a couple  of  cents 
more  >f  enough  coins  were  remelted  at  one  time  to  allow  for  the  cost 
of  separating  the  silver.  The  five-dollar  piece  was  made  with  plain 
and  reeded  edge,  and  6,000  pieces  altogether  are  said  to  have  been 
minted. 

T he  ten-dollar  piece  was  of  a later  design,  and  of  more  finished 
appearance  than  the  first  mentioned  piece.  This  coin  weighed  10 
pennyweights  and  20  grains,  or  260  grains.  All  the  pieces  known 
have  a reeded  edge.  It  is  said  that  2,850  ten-dollar  pieces  were 
originally  coined,  although  this  denomination  is  now  very  rare. 


$5.  1849.  Very  good,  Stickney,  1907 


$ 85.00 


U.  S.>  PRIVATE,  TERRITORIAL  GOLD  COINS 


43 


$5.  1849.  Good,  Elder,  1908 $ 70.00 

$5.  1849.  Very  good.  Brown,  1904 31.00 

$5.  1849.  Very  good,  Humbert,  1902 75.00 

$5.  1849.  Very  fine,  Zabriskie,  1909 140.00 


$10.  1849.  l ine.  Chapman,  1886 11.00 

$10.  1849.  Poor,  Leavitt,  1884  16.00 

$10.  1849.  Poor,  Zabriskie,  1909  130.00 


44 


ADAMS’  OFFICIAL  PREMIUM  LIST 


CALIFORNIA 

1849—1855. 

There  were  fully  fifteen  private  mints  in  California,  which  oper- 
ated from  1849  up  to  and  including  1855.  All  the  varieties  of  these 
coins  are  mentioned  here,  so  far  as  known.  Thefce  issues  were  made 
as  a substitute  for  the  gold  dust  currency  and  had  a wide  circula- 
tion throughout  California,  the  amount  of  private  coins  struck 
amounting  to  millions  of  dollars.  It  was  estimated  in  1856  that 
fully  $8,000,000  worth  of  private  coin  was  at  that  time  in  circulation 
in  California.  So  far  as  can  be  learned,  the  first  coin  issued  was  the 
five-dollar  piece  of  Norris,  Grieg  & Norris,  dated  1849.  Moffat  & Co. 
was  the  first  private  minting  firm  to  issue  a ten-dollar  piece,  also 
dated  1849,  while  Baldwin  & Co.  issued  the  first  twenty-dollar  piece 
in  1851.  The  first  fifty-dollar  piece  was  issued  by  Moffat  & Co.,  1851. 
This  was  the  octagonal  coin,  bearing  the  stamp  of  United  States 
Assayer  Augustus  Humbert.  The  last  private  coins  to  be  issued  in 
California  were  dated  1855,  and  came  from  the  private  mints  operated 
by  Wass,  Molitor  & Co.  and  Kellogg  & Co.  Both  of  these  establish- 
ments were  located  in  San  Francisco. 

MOFFAT  & CO., 

San  Francisco 
1849. 

The  assaying  firm  of  Moffat  & Co.  was  composed  of  John  L. 
Moffat,  Joseph  R.  Curtis,  P.  H.  W.  Perry,  and  Samuel  H.  Ward. 
Their  place  of  business  was  situated  at  Clay  and  Dupont  Streets. 
They  began  the  issue  of  gold  pieces  to  circulate  as  money  about  July, 
1849,  in  the  form  of  rectangular  ingots  of  gold,  varying  in  value  from 
$9.43  to  $264.  In  the  latter  part  of  1850  the  firm  became  United 
States  assay  contractors,  and  Augustus  Humbert,  of  New  York 
City,  was  appointed  United  States  Assayer  to  affix  the  Government 
stamp  upon  the  ingots  of  gold  which  had  been  produced  at  their  estab- 
lishment. In  early  1852  the  original  firm  of  Moffat  & Co.  dissolved, 
John  L.  Moffat  retiring.  The  three  remaining  members  of  the  firm 
reorganized  under  the  title  of  Curtis,  Perry  & Ward,  the  contract 
for  conducting  the  United  States  Assay  Office  being  transferred  to 
them.  Their  ingots  bore  the  stamp  of  “United  States  Assay  Office 
of  Gold.”  Mr.  Humbert  continued  in  the  capacity  of  United  States 
Assayer  until  the  Assay  Office  ceased  operations  in  the  latter  part  of 
1853.  Mr.  Moffat  thereafter  carried  on  an  assay  business  under  the 


U.  S.,  PRIVATE,  TERRITORIAL  GOLD  COINS 


45 


title  of  Moffat  & Co.,  the  last  coins  to  bear  his  stamp  being  the 
twenty-dollar  gold  piece  of  1853. 

Moffat  & Co.  issued  the  first  ten-dollar  piece  of  California  during 
the  latter  part  of  July,  1849.  Their  coins  were  always  held  at  par  in 
California,  and  those  dated  1849  and  1850  contained  gold  of  an  aver- 
age fineness  of  .897.  The  ten-dollar  pieces  averaged  258%  grains 
in  weight,  with  an  average  intrinsic  value  of  $9.97.7. 

The  rectangular  ingots  bearing  their  stamp,  which  ranged  in 
denomination  from  $9.43  to  $264,  contained  gold  of  an  intrinsic  value 
of  a little  less  than  stamped  on  their  face,  the  United  States  Mint 
assayers  estimating  the  value  of  the  $16  ingot  at  $15.75.  The  oc- 
tagonal fifty-dollar  pieces  issued  by  Moffat  & Co.,  bearing  the  stamp 
of  the  United  States  Assayer,  Humbert,  contained  gold  of  a fineness 
of  .880,  .887,  and  .900.  It  is  said  that  in  quantities  these  pieces  had 
a net  mint  value  of  $50.10  each,  but  only  $49.90  in  the  single  piece. 

The  United  States  Assay  Office  ten  and  twenty  dollar  gold  pieces 
of  1852  had  a weight  respectively  of  262  7-10  and  525  4-10  grains,  of 
a fineness  of  .884.  The  mint  assayers  found  the  ten-dollar  pieces  to 
weigh  on  an  average  262.85  grains,  the  fineness,  .882^4  (stamped 
.884),  with  an  average  value  of  $9.98i^,  without  taking  into  con- 
sideration the  silver  in  each  piece. 


$5.  1849.  Good,  Stickney,  1907 $ 6.00 

$5.  1849.  Fine,  Elder,  1908  11.00 

$5.  1849.  Uncirculated,  1902  13.00 

$5.  1849.  Extremely  fine,  Zabriskie,  1909 40.00 


$10. 

$10. 

$10. 


1849.  Very  good,  Stickney,  1907 
1849.  Uncirculated,  Elder,  1907. 
1849.  Fine,  Zabriskie,  1909  


48.00 

16.00 


46 


ADAMS’  OFFICIAL  PREMIUM  LIST 


RECTANGULAR  INGOTS. 


[MOFFAT&Cel 
2l7/ie  Carat 
I $9..45  1 


$9.43.  (1849.)  No  record  of  public  sale.  Only  one  speci- 

men known,  this  being  in  the  Philadelphia  mint  col- 
lection. 


MOFFAT  &C  ill 

20  5/4  Carat 
i $16.0  0 I 


$16.  (1849.)  Fine.  Brown,  1904 $130.00 

$16.  (1849.)  Humbert,  1902  - 545.00 

$16.  (1849.)  Chapman,  1908  345.00 

$16.  (1849.)  Very  fine,  Zabriskie,  1909  285.00 

$5.  1850.  Very  good,  Stickney,  1907 7.50 

$5.  1850.  Fine,  Elder,  1907  23.00 

$5.  1850.  Uncirculated,  Elder,  1908  25.00 

$10.  1852.  Very  fine,  Risse,  1903 26.00 

$10.  1852.  Good,  Proskey,  1903  11.00 

$10.  1852.  Brilliant  proof,  Humbert,  1902 60.00 

$10.  1852.  Extremely  fine,  Zabriskie,  1909  110.00 


AUGUSTUS  HUMBERT, 

United  States  Assayer  of  Gold,  California,  1851. 


(Name  in  edge,  fineness  “887”  and  “50”  in  centre  of 
reverse.) 


U.  S.,  PRIVATE,  TERRITORIAL  GOLD  COINS 


47 


$50.  1851.  Very  fine.  Elder,  1908 $260.00 

$50.  1851.  Very  fine,  Wilcox,  1901 100.00 

$50.  1851.  About  uncirculated,  Elder,  1909 330.00 

$50.  1851.  Fine,  Zabriskie,  1909 300.00 


(Reeded  edge,  name  around  border,  “887”  fineness, 
and  “50”  omitted  from  reverse.) 

$50.  1851.  Good,  Elder,  1907  115.00 

$50.  1851.  Brilliant  proof,  Zabriskie,  1909 1,000.00 

(Name  in  edge,  fineness  “880,”  and  reverse  without 
“50.”) 

$50.  1851.  Extremely  fine,  Wilcox,  1901  100.00 

(Reeded  edge.  Name  around  border,  fineness  “880,” 
and  reverse  without  “50.”) 

$50.  1851.  Uncirculated,  Wilcox,  1901  142.00 

(Name  in  edge,  fineness  “880”  and  “50"  in  centre  of 
reverse.) 

$50.  1851.  No  public  record  of  sale. 


(Name  around  border,  fineness  “887,”  reeded  edge.) 


$50.  1852.  Extremely  fine,  Low,  1908 360.00 

$50.  1852.  Stickney,  1909  100.00 

$50.  1852.  Uncirculated,  Zabriskie,  1909 . 450.00 

$20.  1852.  (Fineness  “884.”)  Fine,  Stickney,  1907 125.00 

$20.  1852.  Do.  Extremely  fine,  Humbert 75.00 

$20.  1852.  Semi-proof,  Elder,  1907 135.00 

$20.  1852.  (Date  recut  over  “1851.”)  Brilliant  proof,  Za- 
briskie, 1909  360.00 

$10.  1852.  (Fineness  “884.”)  Uncirculated,  Elder,  1908...  21.00 

$10.  1852.  Fine,  Proskey,  1903  13. 0C 

$10.  1852.  Uncirculated,  Mehl,  1909  38.50 

$10.  1852.  Uncirculated,  Zabriskie,  1909  101.00 


48 


ADAMS’  OFFICIAL  PREMIUM  LIST 


UNITED  STATES  ASSAY  OFFICE  OF  GOLD,  SAN  FRAN- 
CISCO, 1852. 


,$50.  1852. 

$50.  1852. 

$50.  1852. 

$50.  1852. 

$50.  1852. 

$50.  1852. 

$50.  1852. 

$50.  1852. 

$50.  1852. 

$10.  1852. 
$10.  1852. 

$10.  1852. 

$10.  1852. 

$20.  1853. 


(Fineness  “887.”)  Extremely  fine,  Stickney,  1907. $180. 00 


Do.  Extremely  fine,  Humbert,  1902 165.00 

Do.  Extremely  fine,  Wilcox,  1901 179.00 

Fine,  Zabriskie,  1909 160.00 

(Fineness  “900.”)  Fine,  Taylor- W indie,  1908..  100.00 

(Fineness  “900.”)  Fine,  Green,  1909 250.00 

Do.  Fine,  Stickney,  1907 110.00 

Extremely  fine,  Steigerwalt,  1907 275.00 

Extremely  fine,  Zabriskie,  1909 220.00 

(Fineness  “884.”)  Very  good,  Stickney,  1907..  14.00 

Do.  Fine,  Elder,  1908  15.50 

Do.  Very  good,  Proskey,  1903 13.00 

Do.  Very  fine,  Zabriskie,  1909  16.00 


(Fineness  “884.”)  Uncirculated,  Stickney,  1907.  100.00 


Extremely  fine,  Zabriskie, 

26.00 
22.00 
21.00 

23.00 

18.00 
36.00 


1909  

$20.  1853.  Extremely  fine,  Stickney,  1907 

$20.  1853.  Do.  Extremely  fine,  Humbert 

$20.  1853.  Do.  Fine,  Proskey,  1903 

$10.  1853.  (Fineness  “900.”)  Fine,  Stickney,  1907 

$10.  1853.  (Fineness  “884.”)  Very  good,  Zabriskie,  1909.. 


U.  S.,  PRIVATE,  TERRITORIAL  GOLD  COINS 


49 


$20.  1853.  About  fine,  Low,  1904 $ 31.00 

$20.  1853.  Fine,  Humbert,  1902 ...  25.00 

$20.  1853.  Very  fine,  Proskey,  1903 20.00 

$20.  1853.  Extremely  fine,  Zabriskie,  1909  46.00 


BALDWIN  & CO., 

San  Francisco,  Cal. 

1851. 

The  original  firm  of  Baldwin  & Co.  was  composed  of  George  C. 
Baldwin  and  Thomas  S.  Holman.  Early  in  1850  they  purchased  the 
coining  apparatus  of  F.  D.  Kohler  & Co.  Some  time  later  a change 
was  made  in  the  firm,  Mr.  Holman  withdrawing  and  a partner  by  the 
name  of  Bagley  taking  his  place.  This  firm  struck  many  coins,  dur- 
ing the  first  part  of  1851  being  credited  with  the  production  of 
$590,000  worth  of  gold  pieces.  When  the  firm  suspended  operations 
in  1851  it  was  estimated  that  fully  $2,000,000  worth  of  coin  bearing 
their  stamp  had  been  manufactured.  The  dies  for  all  the  coins  bear- 
ing the  name  of  Baldwin  & Co.  were  engraved  by  Albert  Kuner,  of 
San  Francisco,  whose  name  appears  on  the  obverse  of  the  “Horse- 
man” ten-dollar  piece. 


$5.  1850.  Very  fine,  Stickney,  190? $125.00 

$5.  1850.  Very  fine,  Zabriskie,  1909  130.00 


$10.  1850.  Very  fine,  Stickney,  1907  355.00 

$10.  1850.  Uncirculated,  Zabriskie,  1909  390.00 

$10.  1851.  Fine,  Low,  1902  300.00 


50 


ADAMS’  OFFICIAL  PREMIUM  LIST 


PUBOSQ  & CO., 
San  Francisco,  Cal. 
1850. 


This  firm  was  composed  of  Theodore  Dubosq  and  a man  by  the 
name  of  Goodwin,  the  title  being  Dubosq  & Goodwin,  although  all 
their  coins  bore  the  stamp  of  “Dubosq  & Co.”  Theodore  Dubosq  had 
been  formerly  a Philadelphia  jeweler.  Notwithstanding  the  present 
rarity  of  coins  bearing  this  stamp,  nevertheless  they  were  originally 
produced  in  considerable  quantities.  In  the  report  of  the  production 
of  private  mints  of  San  Francisco  for  the  first  quarter  of  1851, 
Dubosq  & Co.  were  credited  with  having  produced  $150,000  worth. 
According  to  the  United  States  mint  assavers  the  five-dollar  pieces 
of  Dubosq  & Co.  averaged  .887  in  fineness,  with  an  intrinsic  value  of 
par,  while  the  ten-dollar  piece  averaged  262  grains,  of  a fineness  of 
.8991^,  and  had  an  intrinsic  value  of  $10.15.  Consequently  their  ten- 
dollar  piece  possessed  the  highest  intrinsic  value  of  any  of  the  Cali- 
fornia private  issues.  Both  the  denominations  are  now  very  rare, 
and  the  price  brought  by  the  five-dollar  piece  as  given  below  Is  no 
criterion  of  the  value  of  the  coin.  The  only  specimen  of  the  five- 
dollar  piece  of  which  there  is  record  is  the  one  offered  at  the  Curtis 
sale  in  1884.  It  is  not  known  who  is  its  owner.  There  are  but  two 
known  specimens  of  the  ten-dollar  piece  bearing  the  name  “Dubosq 
& Co.”  One  of  these,  a very  finely  preserved  specimen,  is  in  the  pos- 
session of  a well-known  Chicago  collector,  while  the  other,  in  poor 
condition,  is  in  the  collection  of  the  University  of  Pennsylvania, 
having  been  presented  to  that  institution  by  a Philadelphia  collector. 


$5.  1850.  Good,  Curtis,  1884 


$0.40 


U.  S.,  PRIVATE,  TERRITORIAL  GOLD  COINS 


5 


$10.  1850.  No  record  of  public  sale. 

CINCINNATI  MINING  AND  TRADING  COMPANY. 

San  Francisco,  Cal. 

1849. 

Very  little  is  known  concerning  the  coining  operations  of  this 
company.  From  what  can  be  learned  it  was  organized  in  Cincinnati, 
Ohio,  in  1849,  when  many  companies  were  banding  together  in 
different  parts  ot  the  country,  to  seek  the  California  gold  fields  and 
engage  in  various  kinds  of  business,  among  which  was  to  be  that  of 
coining.  The  rarity  of  the  coins  bearing  this  stamp  would  seem  to 
indicate  that  they  were  simply  trial  pieces.  That  a coinage  was  con- 
templated is  certain,  as  there  are  a number  of  five  and  ten  dollar 
pieces  in  gold  and  one  five-dollar  and  one  twenty-dollar  piece  in 
copper.  It  is  fairly  certain  that  these  coins  never  entered  general 
circulation.  So  far  as  known  there  are  but  two  specimens  of  the 
five-dollar  piece  and  three  of  the  ten-dollar  pieces.  The  $5  and  $10 
pieces  weigh  respectively  132  and  258  grains,  and  have  an  intrinsic 
value  of  $4.95  and  $9.70. 


$5.  1849.  No  record  of  public  sale. 


$10.  1849.  Chapman,  1908. 


$3,000 . 00 


52 


ADAMS’  OFFICIAL  PREMIUM  LIST 


$10.  1849.  Fine,  White,  1887 $ 51.00 

$10.  1849.  Extremely  fine,  Zabriskie,  1909 1,800.00 


DUNBAR  & CO. 

San  Francisco,  Cal. 

1851. 

The  senior  member  of  this  firm  was  Edward  E.  Dunbar.  He 
conducted  a banking  business  in  San  Francisco  in  1851.  Later  he 
came  back  to  New  York  and  organized  the  Continental  Bank  Note 
Company,  which  afterward  merged  into  the  American  Bank  Note 
Company.  Tne  weight  of  the  Dunbar  five-dollar  piece  averaged  131 
grains,  of  a fineness  of  .833,  and  had  an  intrinsic  value  of  $4.98. 
The  following  record  of  sale  is  the  only  one  obtainable  of  a specimen 
of  this  very  rare  coin,  which  should  rank  in  value  with  the  costliest 
of  the  California  five-dollar  pieces.  The  only  specimen  known  is  in 
the  possession  of  a well-known  Chicago  collector. 


$5.  1851.  Cleanay,  1890 $6.50 

J.  S.  ORMSBY  & CO. 

Sacramento,  Cal. 

1849. 

This  firm  was  composed  of  Dr.  J.  S.  Ormsby  and  Major  William 
Ormsby.  They  conducted  their  minting  establishment  in  1849  on  K 
Street,  Sacramento,  and  struck  many  coins.  Dr.  Ormsby  afterward 
represented  Sonoma  County  in  the  California  Legislature,  and  Major 
Ormsby  was  killed  in  a battle  with  Indians  at  Winnemucca,  Nev.,  in 
1860.  Ormsby  County,  Nevada,  is  named  after  him.  The  Ormsby 
ten-dollar  piece  contained  gold  of  a fineness  of  .842,  weighed  258J4 
grains,  and  possessed  an  intrinsic  value  of  $9.37.  This  firm  did  an 
extensive  business,  the  miners  from  the  gold  diggings  often  standing 
in  a long  line  at  the  Ormsby  mint  awaiting  their  turn  to  have  their 
raw  gold  transformed  into  “J.  S.  O.”  gold  pieces.  A five-dollar  piece 
is  said  to  have  been  made  by  the  Ormsbys,  but  no  record  of  the 
existence  of  such  a piece  is  obtainable. 


U.  S.,  PRIVATE,  TERRITORIAL  GOLD  COINS 


53 


$10.  (1849.)  Cartwright,  1906 $1,310.00 

$10.  (1849.)  Very  good,  Zabriskie,  1909 1,600.00 


KELLOGG  & CO. 

San  Francisco,  Cal. 

1854. 

The  firm  of  Kellogg  & Co.  was  composed  of  John  G.  Kellogg, 
formerly  of  Auburn,  N.  Y.,  and  George  F.  Richter,  who  began  an 
assaying  business  as  “Kellogg  & Co.”  at  106  Montgomery  Street, 
Dec.  19,  1853.  In  1854  Mr.  Richter  withdrew  from  the  firm  and 
Augustus  Humbert  joined  Mr.  Kellogg,  the  firm  changing  its  title  to 
Kellogg  & Humbert,  although  the  coins  issued  at  their  assay  office  all 
bore  the  name  of  Kellogg  & Co.  This  was  one  of  the  most  important 
private  assay  offices  operated  in  California.  Immense  amounts  of 
coin  were  produced  with  their  stamp,  the  total  amount  issued  being 
estimated  in  the  neighborhood  of  $6,000,000. 


$20.  1854.  (Large  letters  and  small  date.)  Very  fine,  Wil- 


cox, 1901 $25.50 

$20.  1854.  Do.  Fine,  Taylor-Windle,  1908 22.50 

$20.  1854.  (Small  letters  and  large  date.)  Extremely 

fine,  Wilcox,  1901 22.00 

$20.  1854.  Do.  Uncirculated,  Zabriskie,  1909 50.00 

$20.  1855.  (Large  letters  and  small  date.)  Very  fine, 

Zabriskie,  1909 32.00 

$20.  1855.  Do.  Good,  Wilcox,  1901 22.00 

$20.  1855.  Do.  Fine,  Stickney,  1907 32.50 


54 


ADAMS’  OFFICIAL  PREMIUM  LIST 


F.  D.  KOHLER. 

State  Assayer,  California. 

1850. 

The  State  Assay  Office  of  California  commenced  operations  on 
May  13,  1850,  on  the  south  side  of  Portsmouth  Square,  San  Fran- 
cisco, with  O.  P.  Dutton  as  Director  and  Frederick  D.  Kohler  as 
State  Assayer.  On  July  1,  1850,  a branch  of  the  State  Assay  Office 
was  established  on  Third  Street,  near  J,  in  Sacramento.  John  Bigler 
was  director  of  this  branch,  with  Mr.  Kohler  as  assayer.  The 
State  Assay  Office  operated  for  nearly  a year,  its  usefulness  ceasing 
with  the  commencement  of  operations  by  the  United  States  Assay 
Office  early  in  1851.  The  law  creating  the  State  Assay  Office  was 
repealed  January  28,  1851.  The  United  States  Mint  assayers  at 
Philadelphia  estimated  that  the  intrinsic  value  of  the  State  Assay 
Office  ingots  was  from  1 to  1 y2  per  cent,  more  than  the  stamped 
value.  All  of  the  ingots  issued  by  this  office  are  very  rare.  The 
ingots  of  the  value  of  $45.34  and  $36.55  are  the  only  ones  known, 
and  are  in  the  possession  of  a well-known  Chicago  collector.  The 
latter  piece  is  the  only  specimen  of  the  ingot  made  at  the  Sacra- 
mento branch  of  the  Assay  Office.  There  is  also  one  specimen  of  the 
rectangular  fifty-dollar  piece,  the  real  pioneer  fifty-dollar  “slug.” 
This  piece  is  now  in  the  coin  collection  of  the  Society  of  California 
Pioneers,  on  exhibition  in  the  mint  at  San  Francisco.  The  variety  of 
$54.09,  which  is  herewith  illustrated,  was  taken  from  a book  on  the 
West  written  many  years  ago,  and  goes  to  show  that  still  another  of 
these  curious  pieces  of  California  currency  may  still  be  in  existence. 
The  one  of  the  denomination  of  $40.07  was  formerly  in  the  mint  col- 
lection at  Philadelphia. 


U.  S.,  PRIVATE,  TERRITORIAL  GOLD  COINS 


55 


F • D. KOHLER 
STATE  ASSAYER 
SAC:  CAL*  18  50 

. _20carat. 

4 Sdwt.I^grs 

*3  6 . 5 5 CTS. 


$36.55.  1850.  (Sacramento  Office.)  No  record  of  public  sale. 


F.  D.KOHLER 
STATEASSAYER  DW 
CARAT  CAL  ; - 

21  1 


$40.07.  1850.  (San  Francisco  Office.)  No  record  of  public  sale 


F.  D. 

KOHLER 

STATE  ASSAYER 

CAL  - 

DWT 

CARAT 

1850 

4 9-J- 

2li- 

$ 

CTS 
45  .34 

\ 

\ 

$45.34.  1850. 

$50.00.  1850. 


(San  Francisco  Office.)  Cartwright,  1906.  .$1,050.00 
(San  Francisco  Office.)  No  record  of  public  sale. 


MASSACHUSETTS  & CALIFORNIA  COMPANY. 

San  Francisco,  Cal. 

1849. 

The  fivc-dollar  coin  bearing  the  stamp  of  this  company  is  very 
rare  in  gold,  and  it  is  not  known  that  a specimen  has  ever  been 
offered  for  sale.  There  are  but  two  specimens  located — one  in  the 
United  State  Mint  at  Philadelphia  and  the  other  in  the  San  Francisco 
Mint.  No  accurate  information  concerning  this  company  can  be 


56 


ADAMS’  OFFICIAL  PREMIUM  LIST 


obtained.  It  is  supposed  that  the  company  organized  at  Northamp- 
ton, Mass.,  in  1849,  and  took  coining  apparatus  to  California.  Owing 
to  the  limited  number  of  these  coins  now  in  existence  the  operations 
of  the  company  could  not  have  been  very  extensive.  The  probability 
is  that  the  coins  now  in  existence  are  simply  trial  pieces.  This  coin 
weighs  11 5j4  grains,  of  an  extremely  low  fineness  of  gold,  containing 
a large  percentage  of  copper.  Its  intrinsic  value  was  probably  lower 
than  that  of  any  of  the  California  five-dollar  pieces. 


San  Francisco,  Cal. 

1849. 

The  firm  of  Wright  & Co.,  which  conducted  the  Miner’s  Bank, 
was  composed  of  Stephen  A.  Wright,  John  Thompson,  Samuel  W. 
Haight,  and  J.  C.  L.  Wadsworth.  Their  place  of  business  was 
located  in  Portsmouth  Square,  at  the  corner  of  Washington  and 
Kearney  Streets.  The  bank  was  housed  in  a little  wooden  cottage,  for 
which  a yearly  rental  of  $75,000  was  paid.  Wright  & Co.  dissolved 
on  January  14,  1850.  The  ten-dollar  piece  issued  with  this  stamp 
was  alloyed  with  copper,  had  an  average  weight  of  263J4  grains,  a 
fineness  of  .865,  with  an  intrinsic  value  that  ranged  from  $9.75  to 
$9.87. 


$10.  (1849.)  Fine,  Brown,  1904 $70.00 

$10.  (1849.)  Extremely  fine,  Elder,  1907 250.00 

$10.  (1849.)  Extremely  fine,  Zabriskie 130.00 


NORRIS,  GRIEG  & NORRIS. 

1849. 

From  what  can  be  learned  these  five-dollar  pieces  were  the  first 
specimens  of  private  coinage  to  be  circulated  in  California.  Mention 


U.  S.,  PRIVATE,  TERRITORIAL  GOLD  COINS  57 

of  the  coin  of  this  firm  is  found  in  a California  newspaper  as  early 
as  May  31,  1849,  and  this  coin  is  the  one  first  mentioned  of  all  the 
California  series.  It  has  been  variously  stated  that  this  firm  con- 
ducted a business  at  Stockton  and  at  Benicia,  but  no  information  can 
be  obtained  that  will  confirm  the  location  of  their  establishment. 
The  fineness  of  the  gold  contained  by  the  “N.  G.  & N.”  five-dollar 
pieces  ranged  from  .870  to  .892,  with  an  intrinsic  value  from  $4.83  to 
$4.95j^,  and  about  2*4  cents  more  when  the  value  of  the  silver  was 
Included.  The  gold  was  alloyed  with  silver  only. 


$5.  1849.  Plain  edge.  Extremely  fine,  Stickney,  1907 $35.00 

$5.  1849.  Do.  Extremely  fine,  Zabriskie 46.00 

$5.  1849.  Do.  Good,  Elder,  1908 18.50 

$5.  1849.  Reeded  edge.  Fine,  Elder,  1908 22.00 

$5.  1849.  Do.  Extremely  fine,  Stickney 41.00 


PACIFIC  COMPANY. 

San  Francisco,  Cal. 

1849. 

It  is  supposed  that  the  coins  bearing  the  above  stamp  were 
made  by  the  firm  of  F.  D.  Kohler  & Co.,  composed  of  Frederick  D. 
Kohler  and  David  C.  Broderick  (afterward  United  States  Senator 
from  California.)  Both  members  of  this  firm  went  to  San  Francisco 
from  New  York  City  in  1849.  The  five-dollar  piece  weighed  130 
grains,  of  a fineness  of  .797,  and  possessed  an  intrinsic  value  of  $4.48. 
The  ten-dollar  piece  weighed  229  grains,  of  a fineness  of  .797,  and  had 
an  intrinsic  value  of  $7.86.  It  is  said  that  these  coins,  both  of 
which  are  very  rare,  were,  like  the  Ormsby  pieces,  struck  with  a 
sledgehammer,  and  that  Mr.  Broderick  operated  this  section  of  the 
coining  establishment,  Mr.  Kohler,  who  had  been  a jeweler  in  New 
York  City,  attending  to  the  work  of  assay.  The  establishment  of  F. 
D.  Kohler  & Co.  operated  from  the  fall  of  1849  until  April,  1850, 
when  the  apparatus  was  transferred  to  Baldwin  & Co.,  although  it  is 
said  Mr.  Broderick  withdrew  from  the  company  in  January,  1850, 
upon  his  election  to  the  California  Senate.  Mr.  Kohler  discontinued 
his  private  assay  operations  to  take  up  his  duties  as  State  Assayer 
of  California. 


58 


ADAMS’  OFFICIAL  PREMIUM  LIST 


$10.  1849. 

$10.  1849. 

$10.  1849. 


Fine,  Chapman,  1880 

Low,  1903 420.00 


TEMPLETON  REID. 
1849. 


Not  the  slightest  information  can  be  gained  as  to  the  coining 
operations  of  the  above  assayer  in  California.  It  would  seem  that 
the  two  denominations  associated  with  California  were  merely  pat- 
tern or  trial  pieces,  and  that  these  coins  never  went  into  general 
circulation.  The  ten  and  twenty-five  dollar  pieces  weigh  respect- 
ively 260  and  649  grains,  possessing  an  intrinsic  value  of  $9.75  and 
$24.50.  Both  of  these  coins  are  of  the  greatest  rarity.  The  only 
known  specimen  of  the  ten  dollars  is  at  the  Philadelphia  Mint.  While 
the  $25  piece  is  not  definitely  known  to  exist,  yet  a progressive  young 
coin  dealer  of  Philadelphia,  who  this  year  was  connected  with  the  big- 
gest transaction  in  gold  coins  ever  consummated  in  the  United  States, 
has  informed  the  compiler  that  he  has  located  a specimen  of  this 
greatest  of  Territorial  rarities  and  may  be  able  to  bring  it  to  the 
surface  before  the  expiration  of  the  present  year. 


$10.  1849.  No  record  of  public  sale. 


U.  S.,  PRIVATE,  TERRITORIAL  GOLD  COINS 


59 


$35.  1849.  No  record  of  public  sale. 


SHULTZ  & CO. 

San  Francisco,  Cal. 

1851. 

The  above  firm  was  composed  of  Judge  G.  W.  Shultz  and  William 
T.  Garratt,  who  in  1850  conducted  a brass  foundry  back  of  Bald- 
win’s coining  establishment.  At  this  time  they  made  all  the  dies 
used  for  coining  in  San  Francisco.  Later  they  began  coining  five- 
dollar  pieces  in  considerable  quantities,  and  also  were  said  to  have 
made  ten-dollar  pieces.  The  United  States  Mint  assayer  found  the 
five-dollar  piece  to  average  .879  in  fineness,  with  a weight  of  138^4 
grains,  and  an  intrinsic  value  of  $4.94.4.  Albert  Kuner  engraved  the 
dies. 


$5.  1851.  No  record  of  public  sale.  There  are  but  two  specimens 

of  this*  coin  known  to  exist — one  in  the  possession  of  a well- 
known  Wisconsin  collector,  the  other  owned  by  a collector  of 
Rochester,  N.  Y. 

Through  an  error  of  the  engraver  of  the  dies  for  this  five-dollar 
piece  the  name  of  the  firm  on  the  diadem  of  Liberty  is  misspelled 
“Shults  & Co.”  The  senior  member  of  the  firm,  however,  always 
spelled  his  name  with  a final  “z”  instead  of  an  “s.”  He  was  well- 
known  in  San  Francisco,  and  after  retiring  from  the  coinage  business 
engaged  in  that  of  gold  mining. 


60 


ADAMS’  OFFICIAL  PREMIUM  LIST 


WASS,  MOLITOR  & CO. 
San  Francisco,  Cal. 
1852. 


This  firm  was  composed  of  two  Hungarian  patriots — Count  S.  C. 
Wass  and  A.  P.  Molitor.  They  commenced  coining  operations  early 
in  1852  with  the  production  of  a five-dollar  piece.  Their  plant  was 
located  at  89  Merchant  Street,  in  Naglee’s  Building.  The  five-dollar 
piece  weighed  131  9-10  grains,  of  a fineness  of  .880,  and  had  an  in- 
trinsic value  of  $5.04,  which  represented  a sufficient  excess  to  pay 
the  expense  of  recoinage  at  the  United  States  Mint  without  cost  to 
the  depositor.  This  coin  possessed  the  highest  intrinsic  value  of  any 
of  the  five-dollar  pieces  issued  by  private  persons  in  California. 
Albert  Kuner  engraved  the  dies  for  all  the  coins  issued  by  this 


company. 

$5.  1852.  Fine,  Randall,  1885 $7.50 

$10.  1852.  Uncirculated,  Proskey,  1903 38.00 

$10.  1852.  About  fine,  Elder,  1908 31.00 


$10.  1855.  Fine,  Cartwright,  1907 44.00 

$10.  1855.  Fine,  Wilcox,  1901 17.50 

$10.  1855.  Very  fine,  Zabriskie,  1909 41.00 

$20.  1855.  Fine,  Elder,  1908 500.00 


$20.  1855.  (Small  head.)  Very  good,  Proskey,  1903 66.00 


$50.  1855.  About  uncirculated,  Elder,  1908 455.00 

$50.  1855.  Fair,  Appleton,  1907 255.00 

$50.  1855.  Very  fine,  Humbert,  1902 275.00 

$50.  1855.  Very  fine,  Zabriskie,  1909 280.00 


U.  S.,  PRIVATE,  TERRITORIAL  GOLD  COINS 


61 


UTAH 

Salt  Lake  City. 

1849-1860. 

Very  little  metallic  currency  passed  among  the  Mormons  in  1849, 
gold  dust  being  the  only  circulating  medium,  and  the  Latter  Day 
Saints  made  arrangements  to  strike  gold  coins  bearing  their  own 
stamp  from  the  great  quantities  of  gold  that  had  come  from  Cali- 
fornia. Apparatus  necessary  for  coinage  was  constructed  by  resi- 
dents of  the  Mormon  capital,  the  mint  being  located  on  South  Tem- 
ple Street.  Thomas  Bullock  was  the  director.  In  the  cellar  the  gold 
dust  and  nuggets  were  refined,  while  on  the  first  floor  was  placed  the 
primitive  coining  press.  John  Kay  was  the  first  coiner.  The  de- 
signs of  the  gold  pieces  of  1849,  of  the  denomination  of  $2.50,  $5, 
$10,  and  $20,  were  very  much  alike,  the  dies  being  engraved  by  a 
local  dentist,  James  M.  Barlow.  Previous  to  this  it  is  said  an  at- 
tempt had  been  made  to  strike  gold  coins  from  dies  engraved  by 
Robert  Campbell,  which  were  broken.  It  is  not  known  whether  any 
of  the  coins  of  this  earlier  pattern  are  in  existence.  The  intrinsic 
value  of  the  $20  pieces  ranged  from  $16  to  $18.  The  fineness  of  the 
gold  varied  from  .899  to  .900,  but  the  weight  was  about  85  grains 
less  than  that  of  the  United  States  double  eagle,  ranging  from 
436  to  453  grains.  This  Mormon  double  eagle  was  the  first  coin 
of  the  denomination  to  be  issued  in  the  United  States,  and  pre- 
sumably first  made  its  appearance  about  May,  1849.  Cary  Peebles, 
a California  pioneer,  states  that  he  sold  goods  to  the  Mormons  in 
May,  1849,  and  received  in  return  $4,000  worth  of  new  Mormon 
coins,  the  first  issued  at  the  Salt  Lake  City  Mint,  as  he  stood  by  and 
watched  the  coins  being  made.  The  ten-dollar  piece  averaged  in 
weight  from  219  to  224  grains,  with  an  intrinsic  value  between  $8.50 
and  $8.70.  The  five-dollar  piece  of  1849  weighed  111  grains,  of  an 
intrinsic  value  of  about  $4.30,  and  the  $2.50  piece,  of  a weight  of  58 
grains,  had  a value  of  $2.25.  All  of  the  Mormon  coins  had  plain 
edges.  In  1850  a new  design  for  a five-dollar  piece  was  executed. 
This  was  similar  to  the  same  denomination  of  1849,  but  showed  a 
circle  of  nine  stars  around  a somewhat  different  eye  and  mitre.  No 
more  coins  were  issued  bearing  the  Mormon  stamp  until  1860,  when 
a new  variety  of  five-dollar  piece  of  original  design  was  issued.  A 
mint  assay  of  this  specimen  showed  it  to  weigh  116  grains,  with  a 
fineness  of  .874,  the  intrinsic  value  being  $4.40.  This  was  the  last 
coin  to  be  issued  at  the  Mormon  mint. 


62 


ADAMS’  OFFICIAL  PREMIUM  LIST 


$2.50.  1849.  Fine,  Stickney,  1907 $175.00 

$2.50.  1849.  Fine,  Elder,  1907 90.00 

$2.50.  1849.  Very  good,  Zabriskie,  1909 77.50 


$5.  1849.  Stickney,  1907 27.50 

$5.  1849.  About  uncirculated,  Elder,  1907 40.75 

$5.  1849.  Extremely  fine,  Wilcox,  1901 32.00 

$5.  1849.  About  uncirculated,  Elder,  1908 46.25 

$5.  1849.  Fine,  Zabriskie,  1909 47.50 


$10.  1849.  Poor,  Leavitt,  1884  16.00 

$10.  1849.  Dietrich,  1884  22.00 

$10.  1849.  Very  good,  Zabriskie,  1909.. 705.00 

$20.  1849.  Very  good,  Brown,  1904 150.00 


$20. 


1849.  Fine,  Cartwright,  1907 


155.00 


U.  S.,  PRIVATE,  TERRITORIAL  GOLD  COINS 


63 


$20.  1899.  Fine,  Humbert,  1902 $180.00 

$20.  1899.  Very  fine,  Zabriskie,  1909 270.00 

$5.  1850.  Extremely  fine,  Low,  1903 28.25 

$5.  1850.  Good,  Stickney,  1907 17.50 

$5.  1850.  Extremely  fine,  Zabriskie,  1907 57.50 

$5.  1850.  Very  fine,  Jewett,  1909 54.00 


$5.  1860.  Uncirculated,  Elder,  1908 60.00 

$5.  1860.  Fine,  Stickney,  1907  40.00 

$5.  1860.  Extremely  fine,  Zabriskie,  1909  49.00 

$5.  1860.  Very  fine,  Jewett,  1909  48.00 


ADAMS’  OFFICIAL  PREMIUM  LIST 


COLORADO 


Denver,  Colo. 

1860-1861. 

The  coins  of  three  private  minting  firms,  which  operated  in  Colo- 
rado during  the  days  of  the  Pike’s  Peak  gold  excitement,  in  1860 
and  1861,  are  herewith  given — Clark,  Gruber  & Co.,  John  Parsons  & 
Co.,  and  J.  J.  Conway  & Co.  The  first  coins  made  by  Clark,  Gruber 
& Co.  bear  the  name  of  “Clark  & Co.”  The  members  of  the  firm  of 
Clark,  Gruber  & Co.  were  Milton  E.  Clark,  Austin  M.  Clark,  and 
E.  H.  Gruber.  They  handled  gold  dust  produced  at  the  Colorado 
mines,  and  in  1860  conceived  the  plan  of  striking  their  own  gold 
coins  from  the  native  gold  with  which  to  make  purchases  of  gold 
dust  from  the  miners.  Their  establishment  was  located  on  McGaa 
Street,  in  Denver,  and  the  first  coins  struck  were  ten-dollar  pieces. 
The  mint  opened  in  July,  1860.  The  old  coining  machinery  used  by 
this  firm  is  now  on  exhibition  in  the  rooms  of  the  Colorado  State 
Historical  Society,  at  the  State  Capitol  building.  Coins  of  all  the 
regular  United  States  gold  denominations  except  the  one  and  three- 
dollar  pieces  were  made  by  Clark,  Gruber  & Co.  in  1860  and  1861. 
In  1862  the  Government  purchased  their  minting  establishment, 
which  was  thereafter  conducted  as  a United  States  Assay  Office  for 
many  years.  The  original  bill  provided  for  a Government  mint  at 
Denver,  but  coins  were  not  struck  there  until  1906,  when  the  new 
mint  on  Colfax  Avenue  first  began  operations.  The  Clark,  Gruber 
& Co.  $10  and  $20  pieces  were  found  by  the  United  States  Mint 
assayers  to  vary  in  fineness  from  .815  to  .838,  and  that  they  were 
made  directly  from  native  Colorado  gold,  with  its  natural  silver  al- 
loy, without  any  attempt  to  maintain  or  fix  upon  a standard.  The 
pieces  of  $10  and  $20  were  greater  in  weight  than  similar  denomi- 
nations of  the  regular  United  States  coinage  to  make  up  for  the 
lower  fineness,  the  weight  of  the  ten-dollar  pieces  ranging  from  2T3 
to  283j^  grains.  On  an  average,  after  adding  the  value  of  the  silver 
in  each  and  deducting  the  mint  charges,  the  coins  were  found  to  be 
of  their  stamped  value  and  over.  This  was  by  far  the  most  important 
of  the  Colorado  private  mints,  which  from  July,  1860,  up  to  the  end 
of  January,  1861,  manufactured  over  $134,000  worth  of  gold  coins  of 
the  various  denominations.  The  total  coinage  of  this  establishment 
has  been  set  at  nearly  $600,000.  No  mention  can  be  found  of  the 
issue  of  the  very  rare  double  eagles  of  1860  of  Clark,  Gruber  & Co., 
and  it  is  probable  that  the  specimens  in  existence  represent  gold  trial 
pieces,  for  some  reason  the  general  manufacture  of  the  coins  not 
being  carried  out. 


U.  S.,  PRIVATE,  TERRITORIAL  GOLD  COINS 


65 


$5.  I860.  Uncirculated,  Elder,  1908  31.75 

$5.  1860.  Very  fine,  Stickney,  1907 12.50 

$5.  1860.  Very  fine,  Chapman,  1908 18.00 

$5.  1860.  Fine,  Zabriskie,  1909 19.00 


$10.  1860.  Extremely  fine,  Stickney,  1907 52.50 

$10.  1860.  Extremely  fine,  Elder,  1908 50.00 

$10.  1860.  Fine,  Brown,  1904 38.00 

$10.  1860.  Fine,  Zabriskie,  1909  42.00 


$20.  1860.  Scott,  1883  26.50 

$20.  1860.  Fine,  Zabriskie,  1909 645.00 


66 


ADAMS’  OFFICIAL  PREMIUM  LIST 


$2.50.  1861.  Fine,  Chapman,  1908 $ 17.50 

$2.50.  1861.  Nearly  fine,  Elder,  1908 13.00 

$2.50.  1861.  Extremely  fine,  Brown,  1904 7.50 

$2.50.  1861.  Very  fine,  Proskey,  1903 8.50 


$5.  1861.  Fine,  Brown,  1904  13.00 

$5.  1861.  Very  fine.  Chapman,  1908 21.50 

$5.  1861.  Very  fine,  Proskey,  1903 11.00 

$5.  1861.  Fine,  Zabriskie,  1909 21.00 


$10.  1861.  Very  fine,  Proskey,  1903 16.00 

$10.  1861.  Fine,  Stickney,  1907.. 20.00 

$10.  1861.  Extremely  fine,  Elder,  1908 23.00 

$10.  1861.  Fine,  Zabriskie,  1909  21.00 


$20.  1861.  Extremely  fine,  Stickney,  1907 


300.00 


U.  S.,  PRIVATE,  TERRITORIAL  GOLD  COINS 


67 


JOHN  PARSONS  & CO. 

Tarryall  Mines 
1861. 

Very  little  is  known  concerning  the  operations  of  this  private 
minting  firm.  It  is  said  that  John  Parsons  brought  coining  machin- 
ery from  Quincy,  111.,  to  the  Pike’s  Peak  district  in  1861,  and  began 
the  manufacture  of  his  coin.  The  inscription  on  these  pieces  reads 
“Oro,”  and  from  this  fact  the  theory  has  been  advanced  that  Parsons 
located  his  mint  at  Oro  City,  which  formerly  was  situated  on  the 
present  site  of  Leadville,  in  California  Gulch.  A later  Oro  City 
was  established  two  miles  further  up  the  gulch.  However,  it  is  quite 
certain  that  Parsons’  mint  was  located  in  the  South  Park,  at  the 
Tarryall  Mines,  and  that  his  coins  first  appeared  in  the  latter  part 
of  June  or  the  first  of  July,  1861.  The  Weekly  News,  of  Denver, 
dated  July  3,  1861,  states  that  “Parsons  & Co.,  of  Hamilton,  are 
making  preparations  for  a gold  coinage  there.  The  issue  will  be  in 
quarter  and  half  eagles  of  handsome  and  original  design.  We  have 
seen  facsimiles  of  the  coins.” 

The  Miners’  Record,  issued  at  Tarryall,  dated  Sept.  7,  1861,  says: 
“We  were  shown  by  J.  B.  Stansell,  Esq.,  one  day  this  week,  some  new 
coins  of  the  denomination  of  $2.50,  which  were  coined  by  Dr.  J. 
Parsons,  of  Tarryall  Mines.  The  specimens  we  saw  were  the  first 
that  had  been  coined,  and  although  they  were  not  as  even  and  per- 
fect in  form  as  is  usual  in  gold  coins,  were  fair  samples  of  Pike’s 
Peak  coinage.  The  designs  on  this  denomination  are  on  one  side  the 
American  eagle  in  the  centre,  with  the  words  “Pike’s  Peak  Gold 
Doll”  encircling  it;  on  the  other,  a representation  of  a six-stamp 
quartz  mill,  with  the  words,  “Parsons  & Co.,  Oro.”  We  understand 
Dr.  Parsons  designs  removing  his  coining  machinery  to  Buckskin 
Joe,  where  he  will  establish  a mint  for  the  coining  of  gold  of  dif- 
ferent denominations.” 

The  Tarryall  mines  were  discovered  on  July  13,  1859,  and  were 
situated  on  Tarryall  Creek,  in  the  South  Park,  the  diggings  being 
located  a short  distance  from  the  town  of  Tarryall.  Hamilton  was 
situated  about  two  miles  distant.  From  what  can  be  learned,  there- 
fore, it  would  appear  that  the  Parsons  mint  was  located  at  neither 
Oro  City  nor  Plamilton,  but  right  at  the  Tarryall  diggings.  The 
Buckskin  Joe  diggings  were  situated  on  Buckskin  Joe  Creek,  a 
branch  of  the  Platte  River,  near  the  town  of  Lauret,  formerly  known 
as  Buckskin  Joe.  Whether  Dr.  Parsons’  plan  of  removing  his  mint 
to  this  place  was  carried  out,  is  not  known. 


68 


ADAMS’  OFFICIAL  PREMIUM  LIST 


$2.50.  (1861.)  Extremely  fine,  Wilcox,  1901 $350.00 

$2.50.  (1861.)  Good,  Howard  19.00 


The  above  represents  the  only  public  records  of  the  prices 
brought  by  these  pieces.  These  may  be  said  to  be  very  much  under 
the  real  value  of  the  coins,  both  denominations  of  which  are  of  the 
highest  rarity,  the  five-dollar  piece  especially  so.  Neither  of  these 
coins  is  dated. 

It  is  pretty  certain  that  the  name  of  the  senior  member  of  this 
firm  was  “Parsons,”  and  not  “Parson,”  as  appears  on  the  coins.  The 
omission  of  the  final  “s”  was  probably  due  to  a mistake  on  the  part 
of  the  engraver.  In  all  the  newspaper  references  to  him  the  name 
was  spelled  “Parsons,”  and  a veteran  Denver  assayer,  who  knew  the 
Doctor  personally,  stated  that  he  was  sure  the  name  was  spelled  with 
the  final  “s.” 


J.  J.  CONWAY  & CO. 

Georgia  Gulch 
1861. 

Information  concerning  the  establishment  which  produced  the 
coins  of  this  stamp  is  very  meagre.  Some  doubt  has  been  expressed 
that  such  a mint  ever  operated  in  Colorado.  Obtainable  records, 
however,  show  that  such  a mint  did  operate  for  a limited  time  in 
1861.  It  would  seem  that  the  mint  was  located  in  Summit  County, 
in  Georgia  Gulch,  which  early  in  1861  was  one  of  the  richest  gold 
fields  in  Colorado  Territory.  The  Gulch  was  in  the  heart  of  the 
Snowy  Range  Mountains,  just  over  the  range  from  Tarryall.  At 
the  mouth  of  the  gulch  was  the  town  of  Parkville,  and  it  is  thought 
there  the  Conway  mint  was  located.  Early  in  September,  1861,  a 
meeting  of  the  miners  and  traders  was  held  in  order  to  establish 
a uniform  rate  at  which  gold  dust  should  be  current,  at  the  time 
this  commodity  ranging  in  value  from  $14  to  $16  per  ounce.  A 
disagreement  occurred  between  the  miners  and  traders  as  to  the 
rate,  which  promised  a deadlock,  when  the  firm  of  Conway  & Co. 
solved  the  difficulty  by  manufacturing  their  gold  pieces.  A corre- 
spondent of  the  Rocky  Mountain  News,  of  Aug.  21,  1861,  says: 
“There  is  a mint  in  Georgia  Gulch,  conducted  by  J.  J.  Conway  & Co., 


U.  S.,  PRIVATE,  TERRITORIAL  GOLD  COINS 


69 


jewelers  and  bankers.  Their  machinery  seems  to  be  as  fine  as  that  of 
Clark,  Gruber  & Co.,  and  their  five  and  ten-dollar  gold  pieces  look  as 
nice  and  rich  as  Uncle  Sam  himself  could  get  up.”  The  coins  must  have 
been  issued  earlier  in  August,  however,  for  in  the  Weekly  Rocky 
Mountain  News,  of  Denver,  dated  Aug.  14,  1861,  the  statement  was 
made  that  a careful  assay  of  a new  coin  of  the  denomination  of  five 
dollars,  “issued  by  J.  J.  Conway  & Co.,  of  Georgia  Gulch,”  had  been 
assayed,  and  shown  to  contain  gold  of  a fineness  of  .722^4  and  the 
value  in  American  coin  of  only  $4.26.  There  seems  to  have  been  a 
mistake  in  this  first  assay,  for  a later  number  of  the  same  paper 
says  that  as  it  had  been  represented  that  the  Conway  coins  were 
of  light  weight  and  deficient  in  value,  it  reproduced  the  certificate  of 
T.  G.  Perrenaud,  a local  assayer,  in  which  it  was  shown  that  the 
Conway  five-dollar  piece  weighed  140.30  grains  Troy,  the  gold  being 
of  a fineness  of  .822,  the  proportion  of  silver  being  .78,  and,  estimat- 
ing the  silver,  the  intrinsic  value  of  the  coin  was  $5.01.  The  only 
specimen  of  the  five-dollar  piece  so  far  offered  at  public  sale 
brought  $3,200.  It  weighed  141.19  grains.  All  of  the  coins  bearing 
this  stamp  are  excessively  rare.  So  far  as  known  there  are  only 
two  specimens  of  the  $2.50,  two  of  the  five,  and  one  of  the  ten- 
dollar  piece.  The  three  denominations  are  in  the  collection  of  the 
mint  at  Philadelphia.  A well-known  Chicago  collector  owns  the  only 
other  known  $2.50  piece.  None  of  the  Conway  coins  is  dated. 


$5.  (1861.)  Uncirculated,  Taylor-Windle,  1908 3,200 


TO 


ADAMS’  OFFICIAL  PREMIUM*  LIST 
UNITED  STATES  GOLD  PATTERN  COINS. 


Gold  pattern  coins  are  those  which  have  been  made  at  the  United 
States  Mint  as  samples  for  proposed  coinage,  but  which  for  one 
reason  or  another  were  not  adopted.  They  include  several  denomina- 
tions which  were  never  used  for  general  circulation,  such  as  the  four- 
dollar  and  fifty-dollar  coins. 

The  first  gold  pattern  coin  was  the  dollar  of  1836,  a very  hand- 
some little  coin.  The  last  gold  pattern  coins  now  obtainable  by  col- 
lectors are  the  four-dollar  pieces,  dated  1880.  All  of  the  gold  pattern 
coins  are  held  in  high  estimation  by  collectors,  the  highest  in  price 
being  the  unique  fifty-dollar,  or  five-eagle,  pieces  and  the  unique 
double  eagles  of  1876. 

With  the  exception  of  the  two  latter  coins,  there  are  striking 
differences  between  the  designs  of  all  the  other  pattern  gold  pieces 
and  the  coins  of  regular  issue. 

$1.  1836.  (Radiated  liberty  cap.)  Proof,  Elder,  1907 $ 37.00 

$1.  1836.  (Radiated  liberty  cap.)  Proof,  Parmelee,  1890..  2.75 

$1.  1836.  (Radiated  liberty  cap.)  Proof,  Stickney,  1907..  38.00 

$1.  1849.  (Engraved  design,  square  hole  in  centre.)  Proof, 

Smith,  1906  22.00 

$1.  1849.  (Engraved  design,  square  hole  in  centre.)  Un- 
circulated, Parmelee,  1890  5.10 

$1.  1852.  Ring  Gold  Dollar.  Proof,  Stickney,  1907 35.00 

$1.  1852.  Do.  Parmelee,  1890 5.60 

$1.  1852.  “United  States  of  America  1852”  around  hole. 

Seven  olive  sprigs.  Uncirculated,  Davis,  1890 5.25 

$1.  1852.  “United  States  of  America  1852”  around  circle 

of  six  bows.  Rev.  “Dollar”  and  garland  of  leaves. 

Very  fine.  Davis,  1890 4.50 

$1.  1852.  Do.  Gschwend,  1908  51.00 

Half  Dollar.  (1852.)  Proof,  Parmelee,  1890 5.00 

Half  Dollar.  (1852.)  Uncirculated,  Smith,  1906 31.00 

$20.  1861.  Tall,  thin  letters  in  legend.  Paquet  design. 

Parmelee,  1890  44.00 

$5.  1873.  (Reverse  shows  eagle  with  three  arrows  in  left 

talon,  the  right  supporting  an  upright  U.  S.  Shield, 
with  ribbon  inscribed  “In  God  We  Trust.”  Proof, 

Smith,  1906  160.00 

$20.  1876.  Die  adopted  in  1877.  Proof,  Haseltine,  1909 1,000.00 

$20.  1876.  Similar  to  above,  but  different  from  regular  die 

of  the  year.  Nagy,  proof,  1909 1,000.00 


vrrrrnTrnrri 


U.  S.,  PRIVATE,  TERRITORIAL  GOLD  COINS 


71 


FIFTY  DOLLARS. 

Only  two  specimens  of  the  United  States  fifty-doilar  pieces  in 
gold  were  ever  struck  at  a United  States  mint.  These  pieces,  which 
were  made  in  response  to  a demand  from  the  business  men  of  Cali- 
fornia for  a gold  piece  of  large  denomination  to  answer  the  pur- 
pose of  quick  counting,  were  sold  a short  time  ago  to  a well-known 
New  York  collector  for  a sum  that  eclipsed  all  previous  records  of 
coins  in  the  world,  being  no  less  than  $10,000  each.  They  are  re- 
garded as  the  rarest  coins  in  the  world  from  an  American  point  of 
view,  as  they  represent  the  only  instance  where  the  United  States 
Government  issued  a gold  piece  of  that  denomination.  In  this 
instance,  owing  to  the  importance  of  the  coins,  the  price  will  be 
given,  although  the  sale  was  conducted  privately.  While  the  designs 
appear  to  be  the  same,  still  there  is  a marked  difference  in  the  ob- 
verses, which  will  be  discovered  upon  careful  scrutiny. 


72 


ADAMS’  OFFICIAL  PREMIUM  LIST 


$50.  1877.  Diadem  with  five  starlike  ornaments.  Nagy, 

1909  $10,000 

$10.  1878.  (Two  heads  of  wheat  on  Liberty  cap,  motto 

“E  Pluribus  Unum”  in  one  line.)  Barber.  Scott, 

1888  20.00 

$10.  1878.  Proof,  Parmelee,  1890 10.00 

$10.  1878.  (Without  heads  of  wheat,  motto  “In  God  We 

Trust.”  The  Morgan  design.  Scott,  1888 19.00 

$10.  1878.  Proof,  Parmelee,  1890  11.50 


$4.  1879.  The  Morgan  design.  Smith,  1906 255.00 

$4.  1879.  The  Barber  design.  Zabriskie,  1909 85.00 


$20.  1879.  (The  metric  double  eagle.)  Davis,  1890,  proof . . 43.00 


$20.  1879.  Do.  Proof,  Smith,  1907 150.00 

$20.  1879.  Do.  Proof,  Maris,  1886  110.00 


$4.  1880.  The  Barber  design.  Adams,  1905 265. Of 

$4.  1880.  The  Barber  design,  Elder,  1909 450. 0( 

$4.  1880.  The  Morgan  design.  Smith,  1906 370. Of 


r 


